Windows of the soul
by raging hobo
Summary: Being Naruto isn't easy, but he never gives up. Someone admires that in him. Someone he loves dearly. Experience the joy, the sadness, the triumph, and the overwhelming love that is Naruto's life. NaruHina
1. Alone

She didn't know how long she had been looking for him. It felt like hours, but everything seems to take longer when you're as worried as she is. She wasn't sure why she was worried. She just knew that the look she saw on his face as he left wasn't normal. It simply wasn't something he would ever show unless something was very wrong.

'Why do these woods have to be so thick? I'll never find him in here.' She thought frantically to herself as she ran. It was at that time she spotted him. Sitting up in a tree staring off into nothing. It was quite possibly the largest tree she had ever seen and for once she was thankful that he was wearing his orange jumpsuit. She never would have spotted him up there if he dressed like a normal ninja.

"Naruto-kun." She called out to him.

He didn't turn but she saw him flinch slightly as if she had surprised him.

"Naruto-kun are you ok?"

Still no answer but at least he looked her way this time. His eyes were blank, showing none of the joy that was always there before. Nothing ever scared her as much as that look.

When he left on his training journey she promised herself that she would be stronger when he got back. Strong enough to tell him how she felt about him. Perhaps this was the best time to tell him. If nothing else it would distract him from whatever was bothering him. She leapt up, ricocheting from tree to tree until she reached the branch he was on. Slowly he turned to look at her. Their eyes met but it seemed almost as if he didn't really see her. Like he was looking straight through her. She knew she had to help him. Somehow.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

"Don't worry about it." He responded in a dull, quiet, monotone.

"I'm sorry but I can't not worry about it. Please, I just want to help."

Something flickered in his eyes for a moment but what it was she couldn't tell. Anything was better than the emptiness she saw though.

"Why? Why do you want to help me?"

The slight undercurrent of anger in his voice startled her. The only time she had ever heard him angry was when someone hurt someone he cared about or insulted his dream.

"Because. Because I'm your friend and I care about you."

He snorted derisively. "Don't bother lying to me. I know no one cares about me. Have you ever seen the way they all look at me? I thought that maybe by the time I returned things might have changed a little bit, but I guess people don't change. At least not for the better."

The whole time he was speaking he never raised his voice but his words held the same intensity as if he was shouting.

"I'm not the one lying! You're lying to yourself if you think no one cares about you." She on the other hand was shouting, an action that surprised even herself.

Calming herself she continued. "There are a lot of people that care about you. I can tell without even asking them. Everyone from our graduating class, Neji and his team, all the jounin sensei, even the Hokage herself. And then there's me. No, I never noticed the way the villagers look at you; I only know how I was looking at you. I watched you. You made me happy when nothing else could. You made me strong. Much stronger than I ever could have been without you." She trailed off, waiting to see if he would respond.

He looked stunned. Clearly confused, a storm of questions and emotions raged behind his cerulean eyes. For a moment it looked as if he would speak. His mouth opened slightly and then closed again. His gaze drifted down to the branch he was still seated on. Slowly she walked over until she was right in front of him and then sat down. With a delicate hand she reached out and gently lifted his head to look at her.

Smiling sweetly she continued, "And even if I'm wrong about everyone else, I know I'm not wrong about how I feel. They say that you'll know what love is when you feel it and I think it's true. N-Naruto-kun."

Her word began to stick in her throat. Her tongue unable to force out what she knew she needed to say. He was looking at her expectantly. No longer were his eyes plagued by the hollowness that had been there before. Slowly she felt her courage return to her.

"Naruto-kun I know I'm not wrong about how I feel because… because I-I l-love you."

The last three words were said barely above a whisper but the look on his face assured her that he had heard her. She didn't want to have to repeat herself. It was doubtful she would even be able to.

His expression remained largely unchanged except for a tear that was slowly making it's way down his face. Suddenly he sobbed and buried his fingers in his hair. Staring down between his legs at the branch he was on, his body racked itself as it tried to expel all the negative emotions that had been festering there. She quickly rose to her knees and wrapped her arms around his head, clutching it to her chest. Softly, she stroked his hair in an attempt to comfort him. Unable to think of anything to say, she remained quiet, lowering her face to nuzzle the back of his head.

Again time seemed to defy its' usual pace. It seemed to her like he had only been crying for a few minutes but by the time he was starting to calm down the sun was setting. It didn't matter. All that mattered right now was him. Slowly his breathing returned to normal and he began to raise his head.

"H-Hinata?" He said, his voice shaking.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you… for everything."

She shook her head slightly. "I'm only doing what I should have done a long time ago."

"You say that but you're the first person to ever really try to help me, and you're the only person to ever say they love me in any way, shape, or form. It means a lot to me."

She smiled. A smile she only has when she's with him. "Many people love you Naruto-kun, they just haven't told you yet."

By that time the sun had set and it was getting dark.

"Naruto-kun I need to go, my father will be angry if I don't get home soon." She said as she began to stand.

Without thinking his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

"Please…. stay just a while longer with me." The loneliness that permeated his eyes as he said this tore at her heart. There was no way she could tell him no. Gradually she lowered herself back down to the branch in front of Naruto. Lightly, he grabbed her shoulder and turned her so that her back was too him. He then pulled her back until she was leaning against his chest. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"You know something Hinata? I think I could love you someday too."

If he could have seen her eyes at that time he could have seen just how much of an effect his words had on the small girl in his arms. Some might say that the pale lavender orbs of the Hyuuga clan are soulless and unfeeling but at that moment there was more emotion in the eyes of one Hyuuga Hinata than had ever been seen before, all of it happiness.

A/N: This is the first of what I hope to be many stories I write. I'm currently working on another part of this story. My general rule is that if anyone asks me to write again I probably will, even if it is just one person. Anyways, thanks for reading until the end. I hope you enjoyed it. Review and I'll love you. Don't review and I'll feel indifference to your continued existence.


	2. Some Days are Perfect

Some Days are Perfect

A deep shade of violet blue, he could remember just when it became his favorite color. His old favorite, orange, simply couldn't compete anymore. That night in the woods had altered his thinking forever. That night when she had finally told him how she felt, and he finally let someone in.

It wasn't a pleasant day when she came to him. In all honesty he probably would have ranked it as one of the worst days of his life. It's amazing how fast things can change. A few simple words, a gentle touch, and he could say that every moment after had been amazing.

He considered it the turning point of his life. The moment that made it so he would never have to fake a smile again. This is not to say all the smiles before were fake. The earlier years of his life had not been that terrible all things considered. He had found joy where he could and he found it often, but sometimes simple optimism was not enough. None of that mattered now. All of his smiles are real and never again would he feel the need to make a false one.

So this was the day at last. The day they had both hoped for, ever since they had truly met each other that night. Today they would be married and the reforging of the Uzumaki clan would begin.

They were nervous, to say the least. Not so much about the wedding proper, but more about making the other happy. Would the words they had written properly express how they felt for each other? Could they?

Naruto knew he was going to have to thank Neji for helping him pick out his kimono. If there was one thing Naruto knew he would never be good with, it was fashion. Neji, on the other hand, had years of experience from being a member of the highest-class family in Konoha. He had tried to get Naruto into a particularly fancy ensemble that was gilded with gold thread, and featured a large number of sashes and ties that Naruto had no idea how to use, but apparently the blond had his limits. Finally, they settled on one that was pure black and had the sigil of Konoha embroidered on the back. The edges where it came together in the front were the same silver, as was the belt.

Hinata, while not nearly in need of as much help as Naruto, was more than grateful to have the aid of the rest of the girls from her graduating class and Tenten. Over the years they had formed a strong bond with one another. They considered each other more like sisters than friends, and they were quite happy to see their 'little sister' (A title she had hoped they would get sick of using someday, but it had yet to happen) getting married.

The trip to pick out Hinata's dress had been quite the affair. Each girl woke early in the morning and met in front of the Hyuuga compound. Sakura had nearly tackled Hinata, exclaiming how she was so excited that she was going to be marrying the boy she had proclaimed her little brother (A title that irked Naruto far more than Hinata's title bothered her.) The three girls continuously bombarded their pale-eyed friend with questions, many of which brought impressive blushes to her face. The topic of how Naruto was in the bedroom was stifled by a surprisingly intimidating glare (and bright red face) from the normally timid girl.

The time they spent in the store was spent with Hinata trying on several dresses, and the trio of terror, as they had been dubbed for the day, voicing their opinions. After a couple hours of this routine they had agreed upon one thing and one thing only, Hinata had to wear white. This narrowed it down to a number of dresses that can only be described as 'way too many'. It seems it was up to Hinata to pick a dress to best suit her. Eventually she picked a simple dress with few frills. It was sleek and accentuated her lithe figure without being revealing. After being measured she left the dress to be adjusted, it was to be delivered to her within the week to make sure it fit.

It was almost time now. Almost time for the duality that was their respective lives to become a perfect singularity. They both sat anxiously in their dressing rooms contemplating any final changes to their vows. There were none to be made. They each had written their feelings as best they could and they knew it. No human words could ever truly express how they felt.

It was time. Hinata slowly approached the cloth door that had been erected just before the aisle. They had decided on an outdoor wedding, Naruto claiming it would allow him to see her beauty better, and she saying how she wanted to see the sun reflected in his eyes.

She pushed back the curtain and took a single step onto the red carpet that was to serve as her path. There she saw, at the end of her destination, her husband to be. He stood to the right and front of the Hokage his mouth slightly agape as he saw her. A slight blush rose to her cheeks at his reaction. She should have been used to it by now, but she wasn't. Quickly regaining his composure a wide smile overtook his always-jovial face.

So began her slow procession down the aisle. Her sister Hanabi playing a lilting tune on her flute as she walked. Her pace was agonizingly slow to both her and Naruto, who were both eager to be married at last. To everyone else she seemed to almost fly down the path that led to her fiancé, her dress flowing gracefully behind her.

At long last they stood face to face in front of a beaming amber-eyed Hokage. This was the moment their whole lives had been lived for, even though they would never realize it. Every moment from this point out would be rated on an impossible scale set by the joy in the eyes of the person in front of them.

Beaming, the Hokage regretfully directed their attention away from each other so that she may begin the ceremony.

"I have been told you have written your own vows." The soon to be couple nodded. "Good. Less work for me. Naruto, you may begin."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." He took a few deep breaths before continuing. "Hinata, I can't say when exactly I fell in love with you. I don't know what part of you is my favorite. I doubt I can even put into words exactly how much I love you. I do know a few things though. When I'm with you I'm happy. Happier than I ever realized was possible. Every moment with you by my side is worth an eternity of the worst hell can offer. I know that I would do anything for you, and that I will never allow harm to come to you. I know that I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for you, and that I can never return to the way I was. I know that without you I never would have found out what love is. I know that when I hold you in my arms I never want to let you go, and I know that the only thing I need in this world is you. Thank you. Thank you for being the light in my world and the sparkle in my eye. For being my smile, my song, and the beat of my heart. I can never thank you enough for everything you've done for me and continue to do for me, but if you'll have me I promise to do everything I can to be for you what you are for me. I love you more than life itself and not even death could stop me from loving you, and so, with this ring, I ask you to be my wife. So that we may never be parted and that I may try to make you as happy as you make me."

The Hokage, now with tears in her eyes, but holding them back valiantly, continued the ceremony. Swallowing the growing lump in her throat she began to speak again. "Hinata, do you accept his vows such as they have been spoken?" A nod. "Then you may now present your vows to Naruto."

"Naruto, I've dreamed of this moment for as long as I've known you. Whenever I saw you I saw a fire that would never be extinguished. I saw a flowing river, strong enough to wash away the world and gentle enough to polish it smooth again. I saw a rock that would never break under any force, and I saw a light that I longed to bask in. Every single time you looked at me I felt my spirits rise. Every single time you said my name I felt my heart skip a beat, and every single time you touched me I felt a step closer to heaven. You became my strength when I had none and you lit my way when there was no sun. If I know nothing else I know that I can never walk without you again. If you will take my hand in yours I promise I will never let you go. Even if the world falls apart around us I will never let you go. Nothing can stand in the way of me marrying you."

With eyes on the verge of overflowing the Hokage spoke. "And now if there are no objections." She shot a glare amongst the people gathered that clearly showed no objections would be tolerated. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a Kleenex."

With a mischievous smirk the golden-haired shinobi pulled his new wife into his arms and lowered his face to hers.

"I love you Hinata."

I love you too Naruto."

And with that they kissed. And with this kiss began the marriage of two of the most powerful shinobi in the world.

A/N: Another chapter done. Just remember if anyone asks me to continue I will (and I might even if they don't.) Also if you wish to talk to me directly my e-mail is and my AIM sn is Nyte35

Lil-dragon-blue: I hope this format is more to your liking. I will try to go back and fix chapter 1 as well.

Xoni Newcomer: much the same as for lil-dragon-blue. I hope this formatting is better for you. I tend to agree that sudden confessions don't work usually. My feeling with this one is that it was a desperation move on Hinata's part. Also looking back (second guessing my own work since I never read it. That's right folks I'm just that professional) I don't like how Naruto admits his love either. I might go back and alter it so that it works better. Maybe I'll even eliminate that since it seems to clash with this chapter. Im glad you like the movement descriptions, they're a pain but they're worth it in the end.

Breezy: Danke!

Went back and fixed up chapter 1. Hopefully it does a fair amount less sucking now. Now get to tearing into or building up my massive ego. That means review. NOW! THE DARK LORD COMMANDS YOU


	3. Sometimes the Best Answer is Silent

A/N: I'm taking a page out of one of the best authors around's story and doing some timeline jumping. If you have yet to do so go read The Legends of the Fox by Patient Mountain. It's damn good.

Sometimes the Best Answer is Silent

"Where are we going Naruto-kun?" She asked without a hint of hesitation.

After two years together she had managed to shake off the nervousness she had around him. She claimed he was rubbing off on her. He said she was just realizing how strong she was.

"You're just going to have to wait until we get there. Patience is a virtue you know." His ever present grin still plastered on his face.

It was strange hearing the most hyperactive ninja in Konoha telling one of the calmest to be patient. Their pace was slow, and quickly it became clear that he wasn't going to heed his own advice.

"That's it. I can't take this anymore. Hang on tight."

He picked up his pale-eyed girlfriend and swung her onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and her legs were being held fast by his arms to keep from falling. With a burst of speed that would have surprised anyone that didn't know him he took off. Hinata did know him though, perhaps better than he knew himself. She was ready for his rapid acceleration and prepared to enjoy the ride she knew was coming.

With inhuman agility he leapt on to the roof of a nearby building leaving a small cloud of dust where he had just been. In a blur of motion he began to dash over the roofs towards the edge of the village.

For her part Hinata buried her face in the crook of his neck and smiled, enjoying the scent of the man she loved. She had tried to place the scent before. To break it down to its constituents so that maybe she could replicate it for when he was away. She had failed miserably, and had decided to simply label it as distinctly Naruto. When she had told him about her experiments to figure out his smell he had simply laughed and stripped off his white undershirt. Handing it to her, he had said with his familiar casualness that all she had to do was ask. The shirt now adorned the teddy bear he had given her the previous year and she slept better than she ever had before.

After only a minute of running they had reached the woods that surrounded Konoha and he had descended to the ground. Dodging trees as he ran slowed his pace slightly but made the ride for the small girl on his back all the more interesting. Activating her byakugan she attempted to figure out where he was taking her. Sensing the slight flare in chakra that came with her activating her bloodline limit he stopped.

"Now, now Hina-chan no trying to ruin the surprise." He said with a sparkle in his eye as he craned his neck to look at her.

She simply nodded in response. After her eyes returned to normal he began his sprint anew. Off in the distance a small lake slowly came into view.

"We're almost there."

If she heard him she didn't respond, too wrapped up in the feel of his back against her to bother. After another moment they had arrived.

"Well, this is it." He said expectantly as he lowered her to the ground.

It turns out it was more of a pond than a lake. It was complete with water lilies and croaking frogs. It was surrounded on three sides by trees but was open to the west where the sunset was visible.

"It's beautiful." She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his midsection and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I guess if I was smoother and a great deal cheesier I would say something like 'Not as beautiful as you'. I won't say it though, no matter how true it is." As he said this his smile threatened to split his head in two.

"Naruto, I don't know how you do it but you just managed to be sweet, funny, and incredibly irritating all at the same time. Fortunately for you the sweet part is getting you out of a gentle fist face slap, just don't try anything like that again." She punctuated her words by standing on her toes to kiss the still grinning blond.

Tenderly he lifted the girl who stood blushing before him into his arms. Leaning against a tree, he slid down to the ground with her in his lap. Wrapping his arms tightly around he,r he began to speak.

"I saw this one day when I was coming back from a mission and I wanted to share it with you."

Her response was simply to lean her head back on his shoulder and sigh contentedly. They spent the next hour like that simply enjoying the warmth they provided each other, and watching the sun disappear below the horizon. As time passed, it became clear that something was on his mind. Normally, in situations like this, Naruto would sit fairly still and talk calmly and, for him, quietly. On this night though there was something that was keeping him far quieter than normal. He shifted uncomfortably trying to find his words.

"Hinata?"

"Hmm?" she murmured while turning her head to look at him.

"Why do you stay with me? You could have anyone you wanted."

Perplexed, she answered, "Because I love you and not them."

"But why? Why do you love me? Not that I'm complaining, it's just something I've never understood."

Smiling sweetly she reached up and pulled his face down until their foreheads were touching.

"Because I see in you everything that I ever wanted to be and you make me a better person. Because I know that I could never find someone else who makes me as happy as you do, and because you just look so darn cute with those blue eyes and whiskers."

With that she kissed him. Pulling back she looked deep in his eyes and saw a mischievous glint forming. Before she could think too much about it he had leaned down for another kiss. As he pulled away she saw a touch of uncharacteristic nervousness flow across his normally confident face.

"I have one more thing to show you. Close your eyes."

Doing as she was told she could feel his hands shifting in front of her. Her curiosity was piqued but she decided to let him finish whatever it was he was doing.

"Okay, you can open them now."

Opening her eyes she gasped at what she saw. In his hand was a small ball of white fire that was illuminating the area and in front of them was a throng of shadow clones.

"Alright guys, you know what to do." Naruto commanded

The clones sprung into action, piling on top of each other and joining hands. When they were through they formed a complex structure across the clearing they were in. For a moment Hinata was confused before she realized the clones were spelling something with their bodies. Looking closely she saw their message

'Will you marry me?'

Noticing her realization he moved his free hand in front of her. Sitting in his palm was a ring. Suddenly, she spun around tackling the blond to the ground, almost knocking the ring from his hand, and kissing him passionately. Breaking the kiss and breathing deeply he smiled up at her.

"Is it safe to take that as a yes?"

She nodded slightly before grabbing his face and pulling him in to another kiss. Without separating his lips from hers, he reached up and grabbed her hand. Tugging it gently away from his cheek he lifted it above his head. There he used his other hand to slip the ring on to her finger. Gasping slightly from their 'activity' he spoke.

"You're the best thing to ever happen to me and I don't ever want to lose you."

"Good, because I'm never going to leave you."

Lacing his arms around her he pulled her close and she laid her head down on his chest. And so they lay there, reveling in the feel of the other's body, and the frogs croaked their approval.

A/N: And another chapter in the pile. Hopefully my idea will keep flowing and Ill be able to supply all you nuts with plenty of zany naruhina antics. Keep the reviews coming, they help me cease the sucking. Also if anyone wants to be my buddy and help me correct these stories, especially for punctuation I would appreciate it. I will happily give you credit in any chapter you fix up. Just throw me a message if you're interested e-mail or AIM: nyte35 . Thanks

RLnaruhina: I'm glad you like it and I hope you enjoy the direction I take it.

RurouniGochan: It's good that you enjoyed chapter 1. I enjoyed writing it. I'll try to keep the good stuff coming.

Lunarangel (): Yep! Anonymous people can review now. I didn't even realize that they couldn't until someone told me. I also congratulate you on having the most insane review I've ever seen. I LOVE IT! And tears eh? Sweet. I must be doing something right. As I've said as long as people want me to write more I'll keep doing it, even if it's the same person repeatedly requesting more chapters. Ask and thou shalt receive.

Denisetheanimelover: They're my favorite couple too. I simply can't imagine Hinata with anyone but Naruto. I think it's feasible that Naruto could be paired with someone else but that would leave our favorite little dark girl all alone, and we cant have that now can we?


	4. Mistakes

Mistakes

"That…..was a mistake." He uttered in a low growl. His growing rage evident in his voice.

He glared at the raven-haired man in front of him. The man he had once considered a brother. The man he knew now he would have to kill.

"Why did you do it Sasuke? I would have forgiven you anything, even trying to kill me again, but you crossed the line. You should never, EVER, have even tried to hurt her."

"Like I care Dobe. I came to kill you. She got in my way. This is where it got her. Now I'm sick of waiting. Let's go."

Just as he finished speaking an orange blur hurdled itself at him. It struck him fiercely in the chest, propelling him backwards into the cliff face the Hokage murals were carved upon.

"Complain all you want you're going to have to wait a while longer."

Naruto quickly dashed back to the woman he loved who lay broken and bleeding behind him. His speed had increased by massive amounts over the past few years, partially because of the development of his own body, and partially because of his training with the green spandex-wearing freak known as Gai. After returning from his training trip with Jiraiya, Naruto had begun to train with anyone in the village who would teach him, and since it was the Hokage's orders that they train him that meant just about everyone. Everyone from Hyuuga Hiashi and Yuuhi Kurenai to Sarutobi Asuma and even the Hokage herself had trained him. It was fortunate he had such massive amounts of stamina and chakra, because there were days when he trained with three teachers in a row. Any time he spent away from his many teachers was used creating new techniques. It was time to use one of those techniques now. Gently he placed his hands over the right side of her forehead.

"I hope this works."

Using skills he had learned from Gai and Hiashi he began to slowly force chakra out of his hands and into her head. The goal was to forcibly open Hinata's heal gate from the outside. This was a highly dangerous technique to attempt however. Far more dangerous than opening your own Hachimontonkou (Eight Celestial Gates). The problem arose from the fact that if he used too much chakra he would probably kill her and if he used too little nothing would happen. It was obvious she would die if he didn't do something, so he decided he had no other choice. Gradually he increased the amount of chakra flowing from his hands until he felt something akin to a snap. A flare of chakra erupted from the unconscious girl and he quickly backed away hoping he hadn't used too much. He watched, amazed, as the wounds all over her body began to heal but after a few moments the healing began to slow.

"Kuso! She doesn't have enough chakra to heal completely."

Kneeling beside her again, he placed his hands over her stomach and closed his eyes. Chakra again began to flow from his palms and into her body. It takes far more chakra to heal one's self if you are using someone else's chakra as opposed to your own so it was lucky for her that her love had plenty to spare.

"Are you quite done Dobe?"

Whirling around to face his opponent, Naruto rapidly raised his hands to a defensive stance.

"Dare I ask why you didn't attack me while my back was turned?"

"Ku ku ku ku ku. Sure I could have killed you while you healed your woman but that wouldn't accomplish anything. I want you to know when you die that you never stood a chance against me.

"How noble." Naruto spat, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I do what I can. Now what say we get this over with."

He didn't wait for an answer before the cursed seal began to spread over his body. His hair turned white as his skin turned brown and large hand like wings sprouted from his back.

"Heh. Decided to take me seriously this time did you?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I just don't feel like wasting anymore time than I already have waiting for you to fix up your little whore."

Naruto's eyes flashed red and his pupils narrowed into vertical slits. Clenching his fists his eyes slowly returned to normal.

"That….was mistake number two."

"You say that like I should care." The newly demonic in appearance Sasuke scoffed.

"You should. If you hadn't said anything you might have made it out of here alive. I'm afraid there's no chance of that now."

"You're all talk as usual Dobe, now shut up and fight."

Rapidly the sharingan wielder began to form seals. Finishing, he gripped his left wrist and lightning like chakra began to glow around his hand. Suddenly, he lunged towards his opponent, his speed making him appear to be a blur of light. Naruto was ready for him though. Spinning quickly out of the way he grabbed Sasuke's arm just behind the wildly chirping chidori. He continued to pull his arm past him and proceeded to smash his elbow into the cross-shaped patch of white that had formed in the center of his former friend's face. He released his arm, and watched as the bat-like human again flew into the side of the cliff.

Painfully Sasuke extracted himself from the rock he was embedded in. In a flash Naruto was in front of him again, and after spinning rapidly he slammed his heel into the side of the traitor's head. The follow through from the kick sent Sasuke careening into the woods, smashing clean through a few trees in the process.

Slowly the owner of one of the few remaining sharingan in the world emerged from the forest.

"Hey Sasuke-teme! Do you remember what Lee said to you before the chuunin exams way back when? 'It doesn't matter if you can see my moves if your body is too slow to keep up.'"

"I'm far from done Dobe. You will die at my hands."

"I don't know how you can say that even now, or haven't you noticed that I haven't even begun to use Kyuubi's chakra?"

Sasuke's jaw dropped.

"K-Kyuubi? What the hell are you talking about dobe?"

"Ehhhh? So you killed Orochimaru before he told you about me did you? Even so, I think you would have figured it out during our fight at the Valley of the End. Geez, and they called you a genius. Fine, I'll tell you. The fourth sealed Kyuubi inside me, now I get a little chakra help when I need it."

It would be hard to say who was more surprised at that point, Sasuke at finding out about the Kyuubi, or Naruto for Sasuke not knowing about him in the first place.

"Ku ku ku ku ku. So that's it is it? Then I will succeed where your precious Yondaime failed. I will kill the Kyuubi as I kill you."

Naruto let loose a frustrated sigh.

'Apparently he didn't get the point. Well I guess I'll just have to show him then.'

"**Yes, we will."** A dark voice from Naruto's consciousness chuckled.

"You're staying out of this one Kyuubi. I'll tell you if I need help."

"**Aww, You're no fun kid. Whatever, tear him a new one for me."**

"You've got it bastard fox."

In an instant the blond disappeared from view, reappearing in front the man who had hurt his precious Hinata an instant later.

"Boo." He whispered as Sasuke reeled back from surprise.

Naruto was quick to help in his backwards motion by thrusting his foot into Sasuke's midsection. Not allowing him to escape, Naruto seized his shirt and flung him over his head back towards the cliff. Continuing to press his advantage, the Kyuubi container followed the air born demon-boy towards the rock wall. When he made contact, Naruto was there. With a series of movement to fast for even the sharingan to follow the orange-clad shinobi proceeded to pummel his opponent deep into the wall. By the time he was done Sasuke found himself unable to move. The only reason he was still standing was the grip Naruto had on his neck. Clearly seething with anger the Kyuubi vessel moved his face next to Sasuke's ear.

"Did you know that over the past few years I've received training from Hyuuga Hiashi? He taught me how to use the Jyuuken (gentle fist). Sure I don't have the byakugan so I can't see your inner coils or anything like that, but I find that if I pump enough chakra into it it doesn't much matter. Now this next hit is either going to close every tenketsu in your head or liquefy your brain. It doesn't much matter, you'll die either way."

Slowly he drew his arm back and prepared to deliver the final blow.

"Oh, and one more thing. I assume you're wondering where you went wrong and why you're going to lose. Well I'll tell you. It was when you came back at all. Now if you'll recall I said you wouldn't make it out of here alive after you insulted my Hina-chan and as you know I never go back on my word."

In the blink of an eye Naruto threw his open palm forward. As it came in contact there was a bright blue flash as he forced out a massive amount of chakra, so much, in fact, that it could not be contained by Sasuke's head and passed through, slamming into the rock behind him and incinerating part of it in an instant.

"Because that's my ninja way."

A/N: And there we have my first attempt at a fight scene. Hopefully you aren't disappointed by it and maybe some of you think its awesome(I can dream can't I?) Frankly, I don't really have a problem with Sasuke and enjoy his non-yaoi(which is just plain wrong. This coming from someone who actually supports gay marriage and the whole lot.) relationships with Naruto. Actually, I like his character and think he adds quite a bit to the story. He's easily in my top 10 favorite characters. I personally think he'll be back someday in the actual series and good times will be had by all. I can honestly say that I did not have Sasuke's death planned from the beginning of the story. I just had this scene pictured in my head and I liked it too much to not write it.

lil-dragon-blue: I'm glad you appreciate the fixes. If you have anything else you think needs fixing be sure too tell me. I'm certainly glad you liked the end of their wedding. I loved writing their vows. It's the little girly man in me I suppose. And one-shots are the plan. I don't have the focus to try to make a long interconnected story (As is quickly becoming evident in my non fanfic story I'm writing.)

Rogue Destiny (): It's not exactly the romance you were expecting but I hope you liked it anyways. Don't worry the romance will return. Probably in the next chapter. Thanks for the compliment too I can feel my ego inflating as I type.

lunarangel (): YAY more insanity! As for the questions he was asking, even Naruto's confidence can waver sometimes. The questions were just his way of searching for the answer to the final question before he even asked it. Don't worry too much about the editing for me. I trust the grammar and everything isn't too terrible seeing as how people are reading it (I personally can't read stories once they reach a certain level of ungodly grammar) Long reviews are awesome. They earn you long responses and make me feel all special so keep up the good work.

Danny-171984: Darn right they're the best pairing ever. Keep reviewing and I'll keep writing. Sounds fair ne?

Nonengel: MUA HAHAHAHA! More compliments. My ego shall reach epic proportions. Sweet. Glad you like it. Hopefully, it will keep getting better.

Now a message for all the crazies out there. I have a non-fanfic story in the works. It's currently 13 pages long. It's a romancy angsty story and utilizes my sense of humor and fuzziness to an extreme degree. If you want to read it just e-mail me ( for those of you who've missed that before) or use AIM to get a hold of me ( nyte35 ) just ask and I'll send it on over. Now to go do my little hobo dance. This link is me. http/ 


	5. Awakening

A/N: Decided to write this one quick to keep any of you from thinking that I had killed off our beloved Hinata. We don't do that kind of thing here at raging hobo inc. I just liked how I ended that last chapter too much to assure you all that she was alive in it.

Awakening

Hinata opened her eyes to an unfamiliar sight. Everything around her was white. The ceiling, the walls, even the light streaming in through the window was white.

'Where am I? What happened?' She thought as she felt panic rise within her.

'The last thing I remember is finding Sasuke trying to enter the village. He said he was going to kill Naruto-kun. OH NO! NARUTO-KUN! I've got to make sure he's ok.'

Her attempts to vault up from where she was laying were quickly foiled by an unfamiliar weight on her arm. Looking down she breathed a sigh of relief. There, with his head lying on her arm, was the man she loved. Gently, so as not to wake him, she ran her fingers through his spiky blond locks.

'Im glad he doesn't put anything in his hair to get it to stick up like this. It's nice and soft. Seems like he could use a shower though.' She thought with a chuckle.

However, despite her gentleness it seems she had awakened the sleeping blond.

"Hinata?" he murmured sleepily.

Realization kicked in and his bright eyes widened.

"HINATA!" he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her and tucked his face into her shoulder. He let loose a ragged sob.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"Naruto-kun." She lifted his face until he was looking at her. "You will never, I repeat never, lose me. As long as you're alive I will stay here with you."

"I know. I was just…..worried." He gulped down the lump in his throat. "I had to use it on you. I had to use the new jutsu I made. I could have killed you. I should have thought of something else. I should have abandoned the fight and carried you to get help. I should have…."

"Naruto-kun." She interrupted him. "You did what you had to do. If you had left he would have hurt others. He would have… Wait. You used your new jutsu?

He nodded.

"And it worked? That's fantastic. We've got to tell the Hokage about this."

He smiled. She was always good at lifting his spirits.

"What have you got to tell me?" The amber-eyed woman in the doorway said.

Both of their heads whipped around in unison as she spoke.

"It's nice to see you up Hinata, but again I have to ask what it is you've got to tell me."

"Naruto-kun came up with a new jutsu. I think it would be very helpful for our village's shinobi to learn."

"Oh? And why's that? What exactly does this jutsu do?"

Naruto hung his head. Nervous about how the woman he regarded as a sister, aunt, and mother all rolled into one would react to what he was about to tell her.

"It uses an influx of chakra to forcibly open the second of the Hachimontonkou (eight celestial gates) allowing the person to heal from some very serious injuries. I had to use it on Hinata. I thought she was going to die."

The Hokage thought that she was through being surprised by her surrogate little brother, but this revelation threw even her for a loop.

"That's amazing Naruto. It sounds awfully dangerous though."

Nodding he continued, "I don't think it's anywhere near a good idea to teach anyone but the Hyuuga and possibly some of the more talented medic-nins this jutsu. If done wrong it could easily kill the person it is supposed to help."

"Naruto-kun, I hate to interrupt, but what happened to Sasuke?"

A wave of dark anger passed over his eyes as he remembered.

"He's dead. I killed him"

Walking over to him Tsunade tenderly placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto, I don't want to ask this, but as the Godaime Hokage I have to. Where is Sasuke's body?"

Refusing to meet her eyes he lowered his gaze to Hinata's hand clenched in his.

"There's a hole in the side of the Hokage monument underneath the face of the third. I collapsed the entrance to it before I left so that no one could get in. His body is in there."

She nodded in understanding. "Ok, that's all I need to know for now. Hinata, you are free to leave whenever you want. Just take it easy ok?"

It was likely that he would never completely get over killing the man he had considered his best friend, his brother, a member of the family he never had, but he would live on. He would continue to protect all he held dear to him, and one day he would become Hokage. Hinata and Tsunade both knew this and as they met each other's eyes they acknowledged that fact.

Standing up from the hospital bed Hinata gently pulled her husband with her.

"Come on Naruto. Let's go home."

A/N: Done. Wow two chapters at once? I'm so good to you people. Now to quote Bruce Campbell in one of the best movies ever made _Army of Darkness_ "Give me some sugar baby."


	6. Ascension

A/N: Sorry about the day off. I was just way too tired to write. I doubt it was a big deal for most of you but I felt I should apologize anyways. I'm doing my best to build a fan base after all.

Ascension

"Wow. That was amazing." Naruto sighed, as he lay on his back half naked.

The blue-haired girl beside him blushed deeply.

"Well, I do what I can."

Rolling onto his side, he propped himself up on his elbow so he could see her better.

"And you do it well, very well."

He chuckled slightly as if he had made a joke.

"I had no idea you could even give a Jyuken massage. It felt like my muscles were melting under your hands."

"Yeah right. I wish my muscles were as loose as yours. You train at least twice as much as anyone in the village and it's still like you do nothing at all. Sometime I think it must be nice to have a demon sealed inside you."

Smirking slightly at her comment he leaned forward slightly.

"I'll admit it does have its advantages." Leaning further forward he whispered in her ear, "Like, say, endless stamina."

Reaching a shade of red she hadn't reached since before the chuunin exam she turned her head so she was nose to nose with her 'foxy' husband.

"Oh? And what might that be good for." She said while winking.

She didn't get anywhere near her expected response though. Instead he flopped back on his back, sighed loudly, and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry Starshine. Would you hand me my shirt? We've got company coming it seems."

Dejectedly, she reached for his shirt and placed it in his outstretched hands. As he quickly slipped the shirt over his head there was a knock on the window. Hinata swiftly went over and opened the window so that he may enter.

"Sorry to bother you Naruto-san but Hokage-sama has requested your presence."

Standing, he walked over to the window where the anbu was.

"I understand. I'll be right there."

The anbu bowed slightly and with that he disappeared.

"It seems we'll have to continue this later. I'll go see what the old bag wants and get back as fast as I can."

It was Hinata's turn to roll her eyes.

"You know, you really shouldn't call her that."

He shrugged slightly in response.

"Meh, she deserves it for the number of times she's punched me through a wall."

"You do realize she only does that when you call her an old bag right?"

Exasperated, he tried to come up with a good excuse.

"Yeah….well…..Hey! Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"Only when you're right fox boy. Only when you're right."

Sighing deeply, he made ready to exit through the window.

"Oops. Almost forgot."

In a blur of movement he appeared in front of the love of his life. He swiftly gathered her into his arms and bent down until he was looking into her eyes.

"Wait for me to come back?"

She simply nodded in agreement.

"Thanks."

Bending slightly more he placed his lips against hers. The kiss wasn't long. It wasn't hot and steamy. What it did do is convey all the love they had for each other. Opening his eyes he smiled at her and in another blur of motion he was gone.

In her office the Hokage sat, growing increasingly irritated with her surrogate little brother's tardiness. She figured she really should consider him more like a son than a brother, but that would mean admitting her age to herself, which was not something she was eager to do.

"Where is that little brat?"

And in a poof of smoke he was there.

"Hey now, that's not a very nice thing for you to say. You interrupted me while I was with my Hina-chan. I think that deserves a little leniency as far as time is concerned."

Placing his hand on his chin in a thoughtful pose he continued.

"If you prefer, I can be like you and deny that time passes at all."

Fire flashed in the Hokage's eyes as she reared back her fist for a punch that would surely drive the blond clear out of the village. As quickly as her anger had come though, it faded. Lowering herself back into her chair she sighed.

"I sure hope I'm not going to regret this. Naruto, I have something to tell you."

She paused for a second trying to gauge any change in Naruto's countenance. Seeing no change she decided to continue.

"Naruto, I'm stepping down."

A glimmer of realization shone briefly in his eyes before it disappeared again.

"If you still want the job it's yours."

She watched as his jaw dropped and his eyes went blank. Then she watched some more. Thirty seconds later he still hadn't moved.

'Crap, I killed him.'

Walking over to him she waved a hand in front of his eyes. She jumped back as he suddenly came back to life.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!"

Across town a certain lavender-eyed shinobi was sitting and reading in her bed when she heard a distinct yell echoing through the village.

Smiling quietly to herself she thought, 'Sounds like he got the job.'

A/N: I hope you enjoyed a little misdirection in there. I try to be clever. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

Danny-171984: Im going to take a stab in the dark and say you were born on January seventh 1984. Just testing my analytical skills. On to your comments. That was the point for him to be scary. Just consider it to be like when Sasuke got owned by Haku but with a bit less snappage just super anger. Also the point wasn't that Sasuke was weak just that Naruto was really strong I tried to help that concept along by mentioning all of the training he had been doing. I'm not sure if I'll bump off any more actual storyline characters. Especially the good guys. I hope you're pleased with the "Naruto becomes Hokage" chapter even though he's not official yet. I've got a soft spot for the quiet girls so you don't need to worry about me ever really hurting Hinata.

Chocobaby: I love the fluff too. I'll do my best to keep it coming for you.

Dragon Man 180: Wow, it's the prolific Dragon Man. I've probably seen more authors comment on posts by you than anyone else. It's nice to see you hit up my little tale. Too be honest I'm not sure what direction I'm going to take it. Ill probably continue to jump around in the timeline and hopefully a semi-coherent story will have emerged from it. As for Akatsuki, I'm sure they'll make an appearance but I'm not sure how yet. Probably not in that form since I would feel kind of like a hack if I used your idea. Rest assured that those crazy red moon guys will show up soon though.

nonengel: You would think that but you know how arrogance can cloud his vision. I'm glad you liked the fight scene (It looked pretty cool in my head I must admit) and the mere thought of Naruto training with all of those people is pretty scary. It helped explain his brand spanking new jutsu too. How could Naruto resist not coming up with own way of doing things? Lastly, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for commenting on those last lines. I loved them too. Very dramatic and all that jazz. I think that that type of ending could be a theme in my stories (as evidenced above) so look forward too it.


	7. Married Life Rocks

A/N: If it's wrong to eat ramen while writing Naruto fan fiction at 3:20 AM I don't want to be right. Oh dear Oh dear. I had to go back and fix the previous chapter because of a little thing called a MASSIVE PLOT HOLE! I can't have Naruto become Hokage and then have Tsunade marry him and Hinata while still being Hokage if I refer to them in the chapter as boyfriend and girlfriend. That just plain doesn't work. I guess it's possible nobody would have noticed but I'm not gonna take that chance. Now bow down before your second chapter in the same night.

Married Life Rocks

With a poof of smoke Naruto reappeared in his bedroom. He turned to his girlfriend as she looked up from the book she was reading. The grin he wore expressed more joy than anyone would think possible. The thing is, she wore the exact same grin.

"Congratulations Naruto-kun."

Suddenly, he dove on top of her and began covering her face and neck with kisses. Then, just as quickly, he stopped with a look of confusion on his face.

"Wait a minute here. How did you know?"

His look was priceless. She simply couldn't keep herself from laughing. It poured from between her beautiful lips and reverberated around the room. As much as Naruto enjoyed the sound of her laughter it didn't help his puzzlement any though.

"Eh?"

Gradually her laughter subsided and she caught her breath. Smiling up at the man she was convinced was the most beautiful creature on the face of the planet, she took his face in her hands.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun you just looked too cute." Emphasizing the 'cute' by kissing him in the nose.

"As for how I knew, I just knew you were going to be Hokage some day and when I heard your cheer I figured that it must have happened now. Not even you would yell loud enough to be heard from the Hokage's tower for anything else after all."

"I do believe you know me too well my dear Hina-chan."

Pushing him off of her and to her side she proceed to roll on top of him.

"I can never know you too well Naruto-kun." She said with another kiss to the tip of his nose.

"When is the ceremony taking place?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

A look of horror and panic overtook Hinata's face to contrast with her husband's calm and pleased one.

"So soon? But you've got nothing to wear that is anywhere near nice enough for that."

"What's wrong with my anbu uniform? The Hokage is supposed to be the best ninja in the village after all."

Hinata just placed her forehead against his chest and shook her head.

"I'm not even going to bother tell you why you're wrong about this one. We'll go tomorrow to get you some more appropriate clothes. Just trust me on this one. I've never steered you wrong before have I?"

Naruto tried his best to look thoughtful and contemplative.

"Well there was that time when your directions had me nearly run off a cliff."

"Hey! It's not my fault you can't follow directions." She said with a smirk slanting her lips.

Sighing he admitted defeat. "Fine. You win. We'll go tomorrow to get me new clothes, but I get final say as to what I wear."

"You wish fox boy." A mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Ok Ok I give up. Can we talk about this later?"

"I guess so, but why? Did you have something else in mind?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye

"Of course I did. I'm going to be Hokage. It's time to 'celebrate'"

A/N: A short one but it entertained me at the least. As usual review and I'll keep writing. Don't review and I might stop (probably not but maybe). Keep reviewing though because it makes me happy and a happy hobo is an awesome hobo.

Dragon Man 180: Well I certainly can't take an idea directly from your story (It's hard enough to avoid being too similar to other people's stories as it is without taking a plot point straight out) Thank you for the offer though. I do believe I'm going to have to read your story. It sounds intriguing. Naruto's age at the time of the job eh? Hmm. I hadn't actually thought about it much. I figured I would leave a bit of the story rather open ended to allow for interpretation. I'm going to have to go with him being 19 though.


	8. Conversion

A/N: Holy hell a third chapter in one night! What the devil is wrong with me? Well I hope you all appreciate my hard work. Reward me heartily because I'm so awesome. Oh, and if you're looking for something that will make you laugh until you cry go here outpostnine(dot)com/editorials then click on "I am a Japanese School Teacher" or something like that. It's an editorial written by an American helping to teach English in Japan. It's even got Naruto references in it!

Conversion

Tsunade stood on a balcony overlooking a throng of people that all had their eyes directed at her.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering why I called everyone here today. Others are wondering what is so important that the Kazekage is here." She said giving a nod to the red-haired man who stood behind her. "I won't beat around the bush here. I called you all so that you may witness me naming a new Hokage."

Several gasps could be heard from the crowd below, along with a number of speculations as to who she might be naming. The most popular candidate among the villagers seemed to be one Hyuga Neji, who was nowhere to be seen. They had no way of knowing that he was actually out on a top secret mission as one of his duties as an anbu captain. He would certainly be disappointed to find out that he had missed his brother-in-laws' coronation. He would have to live with it though.

"Now if our next Hokage would please step out here so that I may introduce him to you."

In a dignified manner that was especially impressive coming from always-hyperactive blond he pulled back the curtain. Before he could proceed any further towards the precipice he was stopped by his fellow demon container and best friend. With a smirk on his face that would have been impossible when they first met Gaara patted him on the shoulder.

"My friend. I think perhaps you should adjust your clothes so that it covers that mark on your neck."

A small 'eep' was heard from behind the curtain as a now blushing Hinata realized what he was referring to.

Pulling the collar of the new kimono he and Hinata had picked out earlier so that it concealed the not-so-small bruise he had received last night, he thanked his jade-eyed friend.

"How on earth did you get here in time for this?"

"It seems your Hokage told me before she told you. I guess she knew that I would like to be here for this."

It was then they noticed the glare coming from an increasingly angry Tsunade.

"That's right. I did. Now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to introduce the people to the man who will be protecting them from now on."

"Eep! Gotcha. No problem." The soon to be Hokage stuttered out.

As calmly as he could he walked the remaining eight feet that led him to the edge of the balcony.

"Ladies and gentleman, your Rokudaime Hokage!"

There were some cheers and clapping but it wasn't even remotely the entire crowd. He had expected this. He had hoped he was wrong but he knew how many people still felt about him.

"People of Konoha, I know what many of you are thinking. You are wondering why Tsunade-sama chose the 'Demon brat' to be Hokage. To those people who are thinking this I would like to apologize profusely for failing to have proved myself to you yet. I will do my best to earn your trust as the Rokudaime Hokage. I think that perhaps it might be helpful if I told you all a bit about me. First of all, I love Konoha, and I love everyone in it even if many of you don't feel the same about me. Don't worry. I understand your fears. The Kyuubi stole many people from this village and that pain will probably never go away. What I feel you need to remember is that I lost my parents to the Kyuubi as well. Until recently I didn't know what happened to my parents. It seems that their identities were classified and were thus hidden from me. The truth is, and I was as surprised as you are sure to be, that my mother was a member of the anbu by the name of Uzumaki Natsuki and my father was the Yondaime Hokage."

At this there were a number of shouts of disbelief from the mob below. They declared that he must be lying in order to earn the trust so he could betray them later. However, this was all stopped rather quickly when Tsunade stepped forward.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET!" She waited a moment for her order to be obeyed before she continued. "What Naruto is saying is the truth. I only recently found the documents that the third had sealed away which speak of Naruto's parents. It was feared that if his identity was known that he may be a target for assassination. Many enemy countries feared that any son of the fourth would grow up to be as powerful as he was, and I'm pleased to say that they were mistaken."

Naruto glanced over at Tsunade as if to ask 'Are you serious?'

"They were mistaken to believe that Naruto would only reach the level of his father. Instead he has surpassed him. As this is the truth, and I know of Naruto's love for Konoha from first hand experience, I feel that he is the best choice to be the next Hokage. However, if any of you have a problem with my decision you may feel free to take it up with me."

The sound of her knuckles cracking was clearly heard even at the back of the crowd.

"Now let's try this again. Ladies and gentleman, your Rokudaime Hokage!"

Roughly two thirds of the audience erupted in cheers this time. Tsunade turned to the man that had turned her life around in much the way he turned around so many others.

"Don't worry about it. You'll get the rest of them some day."

"I know, and I'm not."

He felt a slight pressure on his arm and turned to face the source. There was the girl he was oh so happy to call his wife. With a smile on her face and tears in her eyes she embraced him.

"So, how does it feel to be the wife of a Hokage?"

She nuzzled her cheek against his chest.

"Warm."

A/N:

Nonengel: I was just enthused that you noticed the ending lines mostly. I loved them and wanted others to love them too. The fact that you commented on them was just enormously gratifying. I like the nickname too. It's actually one that I use in real life (sadly its probably over a lost cause but that's really not a good thing to toss out there.) I'm an introspective person so I imagine people will be developing a bit in my story through their own introspection. Keep reading, keep loving. Thanks (only one this time.)

Dragon Man 180: I considered having him suggest that, but since he toned down the orange somewhat after the trip I figured he may have advanced enough in the 'avoiding getting killed' department that he would have all but abandoned the orange. I'll start reading your story tomorrow.


	9. Brother From a Different Mother

A/N: A short little chapter of comedy. I hope you enjoy it. 4 in one night though I'm a beast. I deserve to have altars erected in my honor and stuff like that. Get to the goat sacrificing. You don't want me to destroy your crops now do you?

Brother From a Different Mother

"So you're going to carve my face in to the Hokage monument eh Gaara?"

The Kazekage nodded.

"Tsunade and I figured it would be faster than having the villagers do it with picks and such."

Putting on his 'smart face', (which is really more of a constipated face, but we'll let that slide) Naruto agreed.

"Probably. So, do you need me to strike a Hokageesque pose or anything like that?"

Turning to face the mountain, Gaara responded.

"No. It's fine. I have something of a photographic memory."

"Heh. I did give you a pretty good close up back when I head-butted you out of crazy Shukaku mode."

A slight grimace tainted Gaara's new, more serene face as he remembered that particular incident.

"If you don't mind I would like to get started."

Naruto took a step back while spreading his arms and bowing slightly.

"By all means my friend. Let's see what you've got."

In a rush of speed the man the sand of the man that was once feared the world over as a vicious killer shot up the mountain. In brutal strokes it began to slam in to the cliff face beside the visage of Tsunade. Great chunks were being blown away and turned in to sand. It was very difficult to see what exactly was happening because of the rate in which rocks and sand were flying away from the mountain. In under ten minutes Gaara was done. Facing his friend, the new Hokage, a proud smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"Well? What do you think?"

Awe clearly present in his eyes, Naruto stared at his face on the mountain.

"It's amazing Gaara. It looks just like me."

He paused for a moment, carefully examining the mural.

"Just one problem."

A look of confusion and worry spread over the red-haired shinobi's face.

"What's the problem?"

Naruto pointed up towards the top of his image on the mountainside and placed his other hand on his forehead.

"In real life I don't have any horns."

A/N: Had the idea. Had to use it. You know how it goes.


	10. The Power of Youth

A/N: YAY for timeline jumping. This is a couple of years before Naruto became Hokage and about a year before they got married.

The Power of Youth

A seventeen-year-old Hinata stormed into her room in the Hyuuga compound.

"That bastard! Where was he?" She muttered to herself as she slammed the door behind her.

Something on her bed caught her attention. Lying on her pillow was a single white rose with a piece of paper underneath it. Walking over to the bed she picked up the paper. On it, in what was clearly an attempt at decent handwriting, were the words 'I'm sorry.' Rotating her body as she fell she dropped back on her bed and let loose a deep sigh. She clutched the note to her chest and closed her eyes.

"Dammit Naruto. Why won't you let me stay mad at you?"

A voice came from her window.

"Because I hate it when you're not smiling."

She kept her eyes closed as she responded.

"They why do you do things that make me so angry at you?"

A weight plopped down on her bed beside her and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, usually it's because I'm an idiot. This time though I've got a better excuse. I was sparring with Gai-sensei and I kept getting distracted by images of a pair of beautiful lavender eyes. As I'm sure you know, when Gai spars he goes all out, and losing your concentration while sparring with him is a somewhat dangerous proposition."

Slightly appeased by the compliment but still fairly angry she stopped him.

"Naruto, get to the point."

"Ok ok. Long story short is that I got distracted and I took a Maito Gai konoha senpuu to the side of the head and I got knocked out."

At that her pale eyes shot open and she sat up staring at her blond boyfriend.

"Oh my god Naruto-kun are you ok?"

Quickly she took his face in her hands and began to look him over in search of injuries.

"Hinata." He lightly gripped her wrists and pulled them away from his face. "Hinata I'm ok. Old lady Tsunade healed me right up, right before she called me an idiot for not paying attention." He added with a mumble.

"She was right though. Some people might have let up on their punches during training but Gai goes all out all the time. You really should have been paying more attention."

Smiling mischievously he pulled his beautiful girlfriend into his arms.

"While certainly true, I think it was worth it. You're a damn good distraction."

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"Hey now I'm not going down that easy."

Hinata buried her face in his chest so he couldn't see the wicked grin that was slowly spreading across her face.

"Oh really now? Well we'll see about that."

As she finished talking she suddenly pushed him backwards onto her bed and started tickling his sides. Naruto, however, was not going down without a fight. He quickly seized her hands and pulled them up over her head. He then proceeded to flip her onto her back and hover slightly above her.

"That was a good try beautiful, but you're going to have to do better than that to beat the future Hokage."

With one hand he pinned her arms to the bed.

"And for your assassination attempt you must be punished."

A dangerous gleam sparkled in Naruto's eyes as he slowly slid his free hand down her side. He stopped when he reached the spot halfway between her ribs and her waist.

"I think we'll begin the interrogation here." He said as he began to tickle her side.

Her laughter was wild and uncontrolled. It echoed off the walls in between her gasps for air. After about a minute of this the door to Hinata's room swung open and in walked Hyuuga Hiashi.

"Naruto, dare I ask what you are doing here?"

Panic-stricken Naruto struggled to speak.

"Um, I'm here to apologize to Hinata for standing her up earlier. I was a little unconscious at the time I was supposed to meet her."

"I see. Very well, but could you apologize quieter? I have a headache."

'Well at least they have the decency to look sheepish.' Thought a mildly amused Hiashi.

"Er uh of course Hiashi-dono."

"Gomen otou-san."

With a slight smirk the Hyuuga head turned and exited his daughter's room, closing the door behind him. Once he was out the door he allowed his smile to overtake him.

"So that's the fire of youth Gai is always going on about."

Back in Hinata's room the two lovebirds were lying side-by-side looking in to each other's eyes.

"So, am I forgiven?"

The blue-haired girl scrunched her forehead as if she was debating whether to forgive him in her mind.

"I guess so, but you're going to have to make it up to me."

"Anything."

"Well then get over here fox boy I think I could use a kiss." Adding a wink for emphasis.

Needing no further encouragement the blond darted across the bed until he was no more than an inch from the girl he had dubbed Starshine's face.

"Now that I can do."

A/N: Done again. I'm not sure I really like this chapter actually. I do like his excuse for missing their date but I think the dialogue is a little weird. I'll try to do better next time, especially with the ending quote that I'm usually so proud of.

TigerWolf (): Well I'm certainly glad you're enjoying my story. I love that I made you smile it makes everything worth while (did I mention I'm a songwriter. Rhyming comes naturally to me.) and the crying is even better. I must be doing something right. Emotion is something I love to communicate to people it makes everything seem more real. Don't worry there's still more to come.

Nonengel: Who knew I would go on to write 4 chapters in one night? I certainly didn't. You don't plan that kind of thing you just go with it. When the ideas flow they flow. I enjoyed the comment about the mark too. I'm trying to work a bit more humor in to my stories because really I'm a pretty strange guy. Yeah that ending line is about as fluffy as anything can get it was way too cute to pass up though. New Gaara was so much fun to write. I've always just envisioned with a really dry sense of humor.

Danny-1171984: Blast! So much for my dream of being detective. I do understand where you're coming from about Sasuke and I do agree that under normal circumstances he may have laid into Naruto a little bit. However, my feeling had to do with Naruto's anger. I'm not sure if you've ever been in the situation where you were that angry but it really does make you stronger and faster. Another way to look at is that with his chidori he was overconfident and the sheer force of the Narutos elbow hitting his face took a lot out of him. If you've ever watched Mike Tyson fight when he was younger try and picture one of the people he was fighting after they took one of his hits to the face. Sorry to burst your bubble but Gaara took care of the horns after Naruto mentioned them. Theres no red bull in my diet. Though there is a fair amount of caffeine. My schedule is pretty open since I currently don't have a job. I sleep 6AM – 3PM if that helps you think of it. Blech.

Dragon Man 180: I was having trouble with my internet so I was unable to submit my reviews to your story but I am in the process of reading it. I'll review it as soon as I can. Tsunade is protective of her little bro. It only makes sense that she would threaten them. Plus theres the added benefit of the crowds thinking 'if the hokage whom we trust is willing to fight for him could we be wrong?' The carving is awesome. I absolutely love that chapter even if it is super short.

TVO (): Darn right I'm busting out the NaruHina. There really isn't enough straight pairings in Naruto fan fiction. While I have no problem with homosexuality in real life (ask the 40 year old gay guy that talks about his sex life with me) I have a slight problem with imagining any of these characters gay, least of all Naruto. Do people think he was always hitting on Sakura as a cover up? I'll keep it coming you keep reviewing and enjoying.


	11. The Coming of the Storm

The Coming of the Storm

The youngest Hokage in the history of Konoha sat in his chair as he waited for news from his scouts. A poof of smoke alerted him of the entrance of one of the village's elite shinobi. The anbu quickly kneeled before the desk of the man that ha come to be known as 'Konoha's Red Rage', so named because of the red chakra he was capable of producing and the ferocity of his attacks against those who threatened his village. Without removing his mask that bore the image of an eagle, the anbu spoke.

"Hokage-sama they're coming."

The blond bowed his head and stared at his folded hands through half-lidded eyes.

"I see. Go warn the village and send for my team. Have all of the civilians and academy students take shelter in the caves. There will be a fight tonight."

Raising himself to his feet, the anbu nodded his understanding, and in another cloud of smoke he disappeared. Now alone in his office, the Hokage continued to look down at his now clenched fists.

"So Akatsuki is finally coming for me eh?"

In a flash he was standing on his desk, and with one hand he threw off his robes.

"It's about damn time!" A near giddy smile adorned his face.

In a flash nine people appeared in the room all dressed in anbu gear. From left to right was Tenten with a hawk mask resting on top of her head. To her left was Rock Lee wearing what appeared to be a mask representing a grinning bear. By his side was Nara Shikamaru holding his crow mask lazily at his side. Then there was the woman he loved with her fox mask clutched lightly against her chest. Hovering protectively by her side was supreme anbu commander Hyuuga Neji with his white tiger mask hiding his usually expressionless face. Beside Neji was the pink-haired nin called Haruno Sakura her cat mask resting casually on the side of head. By her side was her best friend/worst enemy Yamanaka Ino her rabbit mask placed oh so fashionably on her hip. To her left was the ever silent bug user Aburame Shino with his, well, nobody had ever been able to figure out what his mask represented, but it was covering his face as expected. Finally, at the end of the line was Inuzuka Kiba with his predictable wolf mask on top of his head and his faithful, and now quite large, friend Akamaru at his side.

"Naruto, get the hell off your desk." Sakura said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Hey now. Is that any way to talk to your Hokage?" The blond shot back.

"I'll treat you with respect when you stop acting like an idiot." She offered in return.

Kiba couldn't stifle his desire to add to the exchange.

"Sooo, never?"

The kitsune container's head dropped so quickly it nearly shook the Hokage hat from its perch. Just as quickly though he was back up and smiling. He kicked his feet out from underneath him and dropped down so he was sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Now I'm sure you all know why you're here and what we need to do. Akatsuki is coming and we need to stop them. They're trying to gain control of the bijuu (tailed demons) again. They cannot be allowed to succeed. You have all been trained with the sole purpose of dealing with this problem when it arrived, and now it has. Are you ready."

A chorus of cheers erupted from Tenten, Lee, and Kiba. Hinata, Sakura, and Ino all responded with a simple 'Hai'. Neji and Shino just nodded slightly and Shikamaru let loose with his favorite phrase.

"How troublesome."

This earned a grimace from the blond man before him.

"For once Shikamaru I agree with you, but it seems that they want a fight and I'm way too hospitable to not give them one."

It was Ino's turn to get a shot in at the Hokage's expense now.

"Oh please Naruto. We saw your face when we got here. You were clearly itching to go out there and fight them. If we would let you I'll bet you would go out there on your own."

"Have you been walking in my mind again Ino?"

Shaking her head she answered, "I don't need to be a mind reader to know what you're thinking blondie."

Kiba who was growing irritated at his lack of participation in the conversation leapt to the Hokage's defense. Kind of.

"Blondie? Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black."

Naruto, coming to grips with the urgency of the situation, decided to stop this before it got too heated.

"Alright everyone we've got to go. Head to the wall and I'll meet you there in a minute. Hinata, you stay behind. I need to talk with you."

With that everyone in the group who didn't have their mask on their face placed it there and they disappeared. Hinata stepped forward from the smoke the others departure had left, her husband stepping forward to meet her.

"Hinata, please be careful out there. If I lose you it doesn't even matter if we win."

The pale-eyed girl took Naruto's hand and led him over to the window.

"Naruto, why did you make me anbu?"

"Because you hit me. Hard."

She focused her gaze on the eyes of the man beside her.

"And if you don't answer me seriously I'll do it again."

The Rokudaime Hokage sighed in defeat, not wanting to get hit again and knowing that she was right.

"I made you anbu because you're one of the best. I've never seen anyone move as gracefully as you do in battle, and no matter the situation you always come out alive."

Sliding her arms around him she leaned her head against his chest.

"That's right. I always come out alive, and this isn't going to be any different. Besides, I won't be alone out there. As much as I hate it sometimes, I think they all see me as their little sister. They'll keep me safe."

Naruto removed himself from her arms and moved behind her before wrapping his arms around her, holding her arms to her side. A wicked smile turned up the corners of his lips.

"Well you are pretty short."

Slowly Hinata turned her head to look at her husband.

"Naruto, do you honestly believe that holding my arms like that is going to keep me from hurting you?"

With a slight 'eep' he released her.

"I'll hurt you later. We've got work to do."

Relieved, the cerulean-eyed shinobi placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Alright then, let's not keep those red moon bastards waiting."

He paused slightly, spinning his starshine so she was facing him.

"I was serious though. Be careful. I can't lose you."

"I will and you won't. The same goes for you Fox boy."

"You do remember what I told you at our wedding don't you? Death can't stop me."

Nodding slightly she gripped the fabric on Naruto's uniform and pressed her head against his chest.

"I love you Fox boy."

"I love you too Starshine."

A/N: Hoo boy it's on now. An Akatsuki attack? Sounds like fun. Bring it on. Be prepared for a crazy epic fight scene next chapter. I imagine it will be even longer than the fight with Sasuke chapter simply out of necessity. I hope you all liked my choice for their animals on their anbu masks.

Dragon Man 180: Glad you liked the assassination and interrogation plan. I thought it seemed like a cute little thing that a couple might do. It seems to have struck a chord. As for Gai's strength, well clearly it's off the normal scale but its much easier to knock someone out if they're distracted. It goes beyond not blocking the blow. If you're not aware of a hit coming it actually lowers your resistance to the blow. I sure do talk about fighting like I get in them don't I? Like one fight outside of karate class makes me an expert. Oh well.

Danny-171984: Darn right his kicks hurt. The man can punch a guy clear through a stadium wall how could they not hurt? I dare you to try to figure out what the heck I'll do after the Akatsuki fight. How can you know if I don't? The punishment and assassination attempt seems to be popular (2 people comment on it? Awesome.) Keep the high hopes alive my friend.


	12. The Beginning of the End

A/N: Fear the epic battle sequence. At the time I'm posting this I have 3670 hits to my story. And 39 reviews. Im pretty impressed. There are some weird numbers for people having read certain chapters and not others but that's fine (Ill post them with my next chapter if you care)

Man oh man I hope this chapter makes you people happy. My head is THROBBING! I made educated guesses with the translations of some attack names. If you know they're wrong and can help me out with them, please do. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go take a hammer to my head to ease the pain.

The Beginning of the End

In a line, with their Hokage at the center, the nine most powerful ninja in Konoha waited before the village walls. Approaching them in a similar line were the nine members of Akatsuki, their straw hats low over their faces and their red cloud embroidered cloaks billowing in the wind. When the two groups were within fifty meters of each other the blond leader of Konoha stepped forward. With arms spread wide in greeting he spoke.

"Welcome to my village denizens of the red moon. As much as I wish I could ask you to stay, and perhaps have some sake with me, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. I promise that if you turn around now none of you will get hurt."

The man in the middle of the line of cloaks let out a low rumbling chuckle.

"Uzumaki Naruto, your arrogance astounds me. Do you really believe that you and your bunch of second-rate ninjas can stop us?"

It was Naruto's turn to laugh now.

"Do I believe we can stop you? Hell no! I know we can stop you."

The leader of Akatsuki raised his head to allow the strange patterns in his glowing eyes to be seen.

"I grow tired of this inane banter. I do believe it is time to kill your friends and capture the kyuubi within you."

With slight shifts of their bodies the cloaks of those who call themselves the red moon dropped to the ground. In another movement their hats were toss aside. Naruto turned to face his friends.

"Alright everyone, pair off with who you've been trained to fight. Shikamaru you run interference and help out anyone that needs it. Also, no one get in the way of my fight. It's going to get a bit rowdy."

The aura of confidence that exuded from the Hokage's smiling face allowed no doubts among those who would be fighting. Faster than any untrained eye could follow they criss crossed until they were in front of the enemy they were supposed to fight. Blue-eyes blazing with excitement Naruto walked forward until he was only a few feet from the head of Akatsuki.

"They all look a little anxious to get going. How about we give the signal for this party to start?" The Hokage said as he took his fighting stance.

The man before him's eyes flashed and he nodded his assent. In the moment that followed the two men threw their fists forward. When they connected a burst of dazzling light erupted from the force and the other ninjas leapt into action.

Naruto jumped back shaking out his hand.

"Woo, you've got one hell of a hard hand."

No response.

"Jackass. Doesn't even know how to take a compliment. Looks like I'm going to have to beat some manners into you."

On the other side of the battlefield Shino had his hands full with the odd-looking plant man of the Akatsuki. Of the members of Akatsuki his powers were some of the least understood. This was hardly a problem for the levelheaded bug user though, as the extent of his abilities was equally unknown. The black side of the man's face smiled as the flytrap-like plant around his head shook with excitement.

"You look quite tasty. I'm looking forward to eating you."

If Shino's face had not been covered by his anbu mask you may have seen a slight smirk cross his lips.

"Funny, my bugs were just saying the same thing about you."

As if to emphasize his point they swarmed angrily around him. With a thought half of the swarm flew forward at the plant user. Unimpressed, he leapt backwards from the bugs and began to form hand seals.

"Mokuton(wood element): Vine spears!"

As he completed his seals he thrust his hands out in front of him with his fingers outstretched. From the tip of each finger a sharpened vine shot out. Shino quickly dodged to the side but the attack wasn't done yet.

"Vine whip!"

With the vines still attached to his fingers he lashed his hands to the side and the vines followed in an arcing fashion, striking the Aburame boy in the side and hurling him to the ground.

"Is that it? I didn't expect the shinobi of the leaf to be this bad. Perhaps you think that the bugs you planted on my whips when I struck you will turn the fight to your advantage? Well I've got news for you. There is no bug alive that eat my wood."

While Shino's mask had been knocked off when he fell his face remained as emotionless as usual. He simply regained his feet and raised his arms in a fighting posture. He whispered something to his swarm and the buzzed their understanding.

"Good, now go." He said quietly.

Meanwhile the battle between Tenten and Hoshigake Kisame of the Mist countries seven swordsman was reaching a fever pitch. Few wounds had been inflicted but both fighters were beginning to tire. Kisame held his sword the Samehada in front of him with one hand and placed the fingers of his other hand on the blade.

"Suiton (water element): Suiryuuken (water dragon sword)!"

A savage roar could be heard coming from the blade as water began to swirl around it and gradually take the form of a dragon. The head could be seen emerging near the tip of the sword while two short arms with razor sharp talons appeared about midway. 

"I'd like to introduce you to my friend. I call him 'Puddles'."

If the situation had been less serious Tenten would have almost surely fallen down laughing, as it was she barely grinned. Instead she twirled the sickle she held in each hand and prepared for his attack. She didn't have to wait long as mist nin charged forward with his sword reared back to strike. As he swung his sword forward she cart wheeled to the side but was caught unaware as one of the arms reached out and clawed at her leg.

'Kuso! I should have been more careful.' She thought angrily to herself as blood leaked from her fresh would. 'I need to end this and fast.'

Without a word Kisame rushed her again. She placed the blades of her sickles together as if she was preparing to block the massive sword that was whistling towards her. Tenten was no fool though. She knew she would never be able to stand up to a blow from a sword of that size, especially with her newly injured leg. When the sword was a mere foot from contact with her sickles she suddenly whipped the blades apart scraping them together as she did so.

"Raiton (lightning element)! Arc lightning no jutsu."

A beam of electricity began to leap back and forth between her blades before it wrapped itself around Kisame's sword and coursed through the water dragon towards his hand. Now the grey-skinned nin was fast, even for a ninja, but he was no where near fast enough to avoid the lightning bolt that was racing for him. As the lightning came in contact with his hands he threw his head back and let out a savage yell. Slowly he fell to his knees and his Samehada dropped from his limp hands. He was now about eye level with the much smaller kunoichi who looked at him questioningly.

"You know, I'm really quite surprised that you didn't have a defense against lightning type attacks."

He chuckled lightly as his arms hung useless at his sides.

"I do have a defense. I've never seen a lightning jutsu that wasn't chakra based before."

Konoha's resident weapon master looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I guess that makes sense. You put up a good fight Sharky. I almost wish we could do this again sometime, but I've got to help my friends and I can't risk you recovering and rejoining the fight.

It wouldn't have been strange to see anger in the eyes of the mist-nin nor fear or maybe even sadness at the thought of his life's end. No such thing was visible though. If anything was there it was mirth. As if to prove a point the man who carried one of the seven legendary swords of the mist grinned a sharp-toothed grin and unleashed a low, throaty laugh. Unwilling to prolong the inevitable any longer she crossed and uncrossed her sickles around his neck, ending the swordsman's life.

At the same time in another part of the field Hinata was engaging the effeminate bomb user Deidara. She was having little trouble avoiding the explosions thanks to her kaiten, but at the same time she was unable to take the offensive. She had just finished another spin when she noticed that her blond opponent had begun to move closer to her.

"This fight is over. You just moved in the range of my divination."

Slowly the lavender-eyed girl slid down into the techniques starting position. For his part, Deidara wore a confused expression as he gazed at her.

"Oh? Show me."

Her answer was to begin to run towards him, moving chakra into her hands in preparation for the technique. It was not to be however, as she ran an explosion came up from beneath her tossing her in to the air. She landed on her feet but it was clear that she was favoring her right leg. Tenderly, she took a step forward and prepared herself to fight again. No sooner had she taken another step than the ground again erupted beneath her. This time she was unable to land on her feet and as her back contacted the ground she was again blown into the air. Finally, she landed in an area that did not send her back up again but she was hurt and movement was difficult at best.

"Did you like my land mines girly?" The blond called to her. "Even with that all seeing byakugan of yours you couldn't see them coming. Pathetic."

Casually he began to walk over towards the fallen girl as the mouth in his hand prepared another ball of explosive clay. He raised his hand with the bomb in it as he stood over the injured kunoichi.

"Look on the bright side girly. You get to die by my beautiful art. Now as you said earlier, this fight is over."

He moved to slam his explosive into the prostrate girl before him, but he found his hand wouldn't move.

"What the…."

A voice came from behind him.

"Kage mane no jutsu, success. Hinata, can you move?"

Weakly the pale-eyed girl nodded and began to crawl away from her opponent. The stone-nin was laughing quietly.

"And what do you plan to do now? Have me do a stupid dance until I embarrass myself to death?"

The man behind the crow mask sighed deeply.

"So many people misunderstand the kage mane no jutsu. Everyone seems to think that I can't hurt you just because I can only make you copy my movements. If you'll take a moment to notice though, I don't have a hunk of explosives in my hand."

Realization came to Diedara's face at the same moment the bomb came to his stomach.

"I think he understands now."

Looking around the shadow user spotted his blue-haired friend leaning against a tree.

"Hinata are you ok?"

With her left hand she gave him a thumbs up as her right hand flared with green healing chakra.

"I'll be fine. Go help the others."

Across the field another battle was still taking place. There the prodigy of the Inuzuka clan was fighting the largest man he had ever seen. He was easily seven feet tall and his arms were as big around as Kiba's torso. For his size he was incredibly fast and he seemed almost weightless at times. The feral shinobi suspected it may have something to do with his opponent being from the hidden village of cloud. He was shaken from his thoughts as Akamaru barked out a warning. The gigantic cloud-nin had drawn his hands to his side and if experience was any indicator he was gathering chakra in them.

"Zankuuha!" He yelled as he brought his hands forward palms open.

A huge blast of air began to tear up the ground as it screamed towards the pair.

"Crap! Akamaru get out of the way."

Seeing that his friend would not be able to escape in time he grabbed him in his arms and turned his back to the oncoming wind. A howl of pain escaped his lips as the attack landed. The man spoke in a low bass.

"Stay down boy. Make this easier on the both of us."

Kiba's reaction was not at all the one he expected. Laughing as he stood, he shrugged off his anbu vest and revealed the strips of metal that were strapped to his back and chest.

"Nah, if I gave up now that blond bastard would never let me live it down. You ready Akamaru?"

A short bark was all the answer he needed before they each ran off in symmetrical looping paths toward their opponent.

"Do it Akamaru!"

The dog suddenly leapt into the air and began to rotate rapidly as he flew towards his target. The huge nin turned to face the spinning dog with the intent of batting him out of the air. He was not counting on Kiba being able to run faster than his partner could fly though.

"Beast claw no jutsu!" The dog master yelled as the chakra formed itself into the shape of a large claw around his hand.

Without another word Kiba rammed his claws in to he cloud-nin's lower back and, with added thrust from his legs, dragged them all the way up through his lower two ribs, puncturing one of his lungs in the process. Amazingly the monstrous man didn't make a sound and, in fact, hardly seemed like the injury bothered him.

"Kuso! What the hell is this guy made of? Oh well, there's no way he can move like he did before with that wound. Let's do it boy."

Akamaru jumped onto Kiba's back as he bent over.

"Inuzuka ryuu jinjuu henge! (Inuzuka style beast-human combination transfomation)"

In a puff of smoke a colossal two-headed wolf was revealed its red eyes burning with intensity.

"Garouga! (Double wolf fang)"

With that the beast began to whirl in the air creating blades of air as it spun. Tracking the cloud-nin by the scent of his blood they tore through the air at him, even so it's likely that under normal circumstances that he would have been able to dodge. Having your body forcibly restrained by a shadow is hardly normal circumstances though. He could do nothing but watch in horror as the beast bore down on him. At the last moment he felt the shadow release him, but by then it was too late to do anything but scream.

While this was all occurring Sakura was locked in combat with Sasori of the red sands. Swiftly he dashed at the pink-haired kunoichi, his tail swaying behind him as he ran. Just before he reached her his tail shot forward, the tip dripping with poison. Sakura just smirked as she saw it coming.

"I don't think so old man!"

Quickly she rotated out of the way and grabbed the tail under her arm. Bringing her other arm across she slammed her chakra-charged fist into the tail, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Not to be outdone the sand-nin shoved his arm towards the emerald-eyed girl. With a flick of his wrist a trap door opened and a hail of kunai flew from his arm. She was able to dodge them for the most part but received a fairly deep cut on her arm for her trouble. Without missing a beat the kunoichi darted forward with the startling speed she gained by modifying the Godaime Hokage's technique for delivering such powerful blows. She proceeded to grab Sasori's outstretched wrist with both hands and began to spin her body. Wincing slightly and letting out a small yelp of pain as spikes shout out from the sand-nin's arm, she did not lose her grip. As she continued to spin the mechanical scorpion man was lifted off the ground by the centripetal force. Finally she let go, sending the missing-nin hurtling into the air. She was unprepared for what happened next. In a blur of motion Tenten appeared beside the air born shinobi brandishing a katana in both hands. In one fluid motion she raised the blade above her head and swiftly brought it down through the side of the Akatsuki member. In a jumble of mechanical parts Sasori fell to the ground.

"Nice job Tenten!" The pink-haired girl called out.

"Save the thanks for later. I don't think he's done yet."

Proving her right he slowly began to rise from the ground with a deep gash in his side.

"Let's do this Sakura."

Without another word Tenten leapt into the air, unfurling a pair of scrolls as she went. At the same time Sakura was running swiftly at the wounded nin. Before she arrived a rain of deadly accurate weapons began to fall towards the puppet master. He immediately began to shield himself with his mechanical body parts, easily deflecting the deadly rain. There was only one problem with this course of action. It took all of his limbs to protect himself, which left him open to Sakura's attack. Suddenly she appeared beneath him, fist glowing with pent up chakra. The punch she unleashed on the missing-nin was enough to crumble mountains. A human body, no matter how reinforced it is, stands no chance against such a blow, and such was the case of Sasori of the red sands. Blood spurted from his mouth as he was hurled into the air only to be driven down again by Tenten's thrown weapons. He was dead long before he hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Neji had his hands full with the lone member of Akatsuki that had never claimed allegiance to a village. The man was thin by any standards, and sometimes it seemed a wonder that he could even stand. He was an elemental jutsu specialist even though it wasn't known how he had acquired them. It was a difficult fight even for the Hyuuga genius. His inability to get in close was hampering his ability to fight. If there was one weakness to the jyuken style of fighting it was that its practitioners were taught very few long distance techniques. This meant that anyone who could keep them beyond an arm's reach had a decided advantage. This did not mean that they would ever be able to hit a true jyuken master though.

"Katon: (fire element) Hiame no jutsu! (fire rain)" Shouted the unknown-nin as he threw a handful of sand into the air.

A black cloud began to form over the area directly above where the two were fighting. As the cloud began spinning, burning embers were thrown free and fell towards the leaf-nin. It was little more than a distraction for the Hyuuga prodigy, but a distraction was all his opponent wanted. As he exited the kaiten he had used to drive the flames away the thin man before him had just finished a long series of hand seals.

"Taton (many element): Earth river charge!"

Neji was stunned as stream of mud wrapped in electricity exploded from the ground at the man's feet. He was even more surprised when, after he dodged, a portion of the torrent split off and struck him square in the chest. He had had just enough time to force some extra chakra into his chest to keep the attack from being lethal, but it still hurt a great deal. As the pale-eyed genius slowly regained his feet he could feel remnants of the electricity causing his muscles to twitch.

'Not good. I can't take another attack like that.' He screamed in his mind. 'it seems I'm going to have to step it up a notch.'

Without a second thought he charged his opponent. Undaunted, the man flew through a set of seals before putting his right hand to his mouth.

"Suiton: Mizudama! (water bullet)"

As the man exhaled small balls of water shot from his mouth. Quickly, Neji began to deflect the bullets he couldn't dodge as he ran with small bursts of chakra from his hands. He was almost within range when his opponent completed yet another set of seals.

"Doton (earth element): Earth wall no jutsu!"

A large wall of dirt sprung up just in front of the mysterious shinobi. The Hyuuga genius didn't seem to mind the obstruction though as he continued to run at his opponent. If the man had had the byakugan he may have seen the incredible amount of chakra building up in Neji's right hand, but he didn't. Because of this, he was caught completely unaware as jyuken user drove his palm into the wall. As he made contact he rapidly expelled the chakra from his hand in a wave that easily passed through the man's defense and into his body. The influx of chakra was more than enough to stop the man's heart and end his life.

Off to Neji's right Ino was being completely outmatched in her fight against her opponent. On each hand he bore large metal claws that made close combat with him an uninviting prospect. He wore his hitai-ate that marked him as a former rock-nin on his right bicep.

'I just need to hold him off until someone can lend me a hand.' The blond thought desperately. 'Now how the hell am I going to do that?'

In the end she decided to try to wear him down with psychology.

"Hey! Can you tell me why you're fighting here?"

The rock-nin began to breathe slowly in a manner that reminded Ino of a creepy stalker phone call.

"Becaussse….III…. want tooo."

That was not at all the answer the blond girl had been looking for and way it was delivered worried her even more. She tried to keep up her conversational tone as she tried again.

"Well sure. There's no reason for someone as strong as you to fight if you don't want to. I'm asking why you want to fight."

"Bloood." He all but whispered with a wicked grin on his face.

As soon as his smile reached its widest point he rushed forward. Ino was barely able to dodge the first claw that was aimed at her gut, she was not so lucky with the one that came at her face. Blood sprayed from her cheek as the claw found its mark. Quikly back flipping away the blond reached up and touched her wound. The instant she felt the blood oozing from the cuts something snapped inside her head. A fire exploded in her eyes and her fists clenched hard enough to draw blood from her palms.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

Shrill laughter was her only response.

And over the edge the blonde kunoichi went. Exhibiting speed far beyond anything she had ever used before she was upon her opponent. Her first punch sent him to the ground, the second knocked the wind out of him, the third shattered his left shoulder and the fourth knocked him out cold. At least that's what she thought when she turned around.

"Never mess with a girl's face. Haven't you ever heard that hell hath no fury like a women scorned. I mean seriously I really don'…."

Her ranting was cut off by the claws from his right hand digging into her back. If the man had expected her to cry out in pain he was sorely disappointed. The anger he saw in her eyes when she turned around was enough to pale anyone in their right mind. This man was nowhere near in his right mind.

"Kekekekekekeke." He laughed as he licked his claw.

Drawing a kunai from her weapons pouch Ino turned on the crazed man.

"I hope you're enjoying your meal over there because it's going to be your last."

She proceeded to hurl her kunai forward at an incredible velocity. Even given that the man was fast enough to dodge her attack. He was not, however, fast enough to avoid the double-handed blow Neji gave him that knocked him back in the path of the kunai. The man died, still laughing, as the dagger embedded itself in his neck.

A/N: Ok that's plenty for one night. Seriously, I'm completely out of it. I'll finish this up probably tomorrow. Remember though, the amount of work I put into the conclusion of this fight is directly proportional to the number of reviews I get. I know you all want me to end Shino's fight in a good way and have Lee and Naruto's fights be the very best they can be.

Danny-171984: Fight scene part one done. Hope you enjoyed it. As you can see Hinata's fine for the most part. I had her fight planned out from the start and unfortunately it required her to get beat up some for it to work properly. I could never hurt her too much though. She's just too cute. It's fun being of the second type. I even surprise myself with my craziness.

Dragon Man 180: Sorry if you were expecting some crazy Naruto tearing an idiot that hurts Hinata to shreds moment. It just wasn't in the cards this time (maybe next time?). As for the kage bunshin sneak out trick who knows? I don't even know what I'm going to write for his fight scene let alone stuff down the road.

RawD: Woah another threat if I hurt Hinata. Cool. As you can see she's fine. Hinata will never be killed off in this story. Everyone else in the world will die before our little princess bites the dust.

Bryr: I agree with you about the mask. I changed it. Naruto's the Hokage now though he doesn't get a mask. Besides it would hide his crazy red angry eyes and what's the fun in that?

Anime/Manga lubber (): You wanted more you got more. Make it peaches or something though. They're delicious.

nonengel: Ooo a foreign language review. That would be sweet as long as you translated it too. Lol. Glad you enjoyed Hiashi's character. I see a number of people either portray him as really angry and crazy or super nice and 'oooh I love naruto I knew his dad yada yada yada' and while I don't mind either of those approaches I was trying to go for more of a standard dad approach. He may have been a little modeled after my dad though. I must say I enjoyed that scene as well. Naruto may be the hokage but he still a nut job. Also, the image of Hinata clocking Naruto is just too amusing for me to pass up.

TVO (): Yes he got distracted by thinking about Hinata while fighting Gai. I considered having Naruto sent to the hospital but I really didn't think it made sense in the end. Naruto is still way stronger than Gai so it would have to be one hell of a kick to actually do real damage to him. Also, if I had him in the hospital I couldn't use the whole assassination and interrogation bit. I loved it. Others seem to have too. She'll give him some TLC later though. This is a fight scene after all. I don't think even Naruto is going to make it out unscathed.


	13. History Repeats Itself

A/N: apparently I created some confusion in my previous chapter. Itachi is not the leader of Akatsuki (I would have used his name if he was). The crazy little bugger gets to square off with Lee in this chapter. If you don't read the manga and don't know what I'm talking about with the leaders eyes then I suggest you start. He has these funky circles in them; I decided to make them glow because it sounds cool ne?

P.S. for something that may be more entertaining than my story itself go read lunarangels review. Its about 3 pages long. You cant miss it. Thank you angel. Truly awesome review. Get down with your bad self.

History Repeats Itself

In Shino's fight the bug-user was still struggling to gain an advantage over the plant man. Up until now he had only succeeded on creating some shallow cuts on the man's arms, which oozed a substance that resembled sap. Deciding that he needed to try something different he ordered his bugs to surround him and shield him from view. While encased in his living cloud he rapidly formed some hand seals. The instant he finished the bugs dispersed and it seemed that nothing had happened. A gurgling laugh escaped the lips of the split-faced man.

"What's the matter boy? Too nervous to complete a jutsu?"

No answer was heard from the solemn boy.

"Fine then, this is getting boring. It's time to end this."

Leaving a cloud of dust in his wake the odd-looking man dashed at the Aburame clan heir. As he got closer a large spike of wood emerged from the palm of his right hand. When he was within a few feet of his target he drew back his arm so that he could thrust the spear into the bug boy. At the same time Shino prepared to catch the man's attack before it struck him earning a small chuckle from his opponent. In another step he arrived at his target and slammed his hand forward only to have the thorn caught between the boy's clasped hands.

"Not good enough boy."

With a burst of chakra the spike grew longer striking the boy in the chest and coming out the other side. A fatal wound. Or it would have been, if what was hit had actually been Shino. Instead the body burst open around the thorn and was replaced by a swarm of angry insects. Unable to react in time the plant user was set upon by the multitude. They quickly covered every inch of his body and began consuming his chakra. The flytrap like extension around the man's head closed in an attempt to protect his face. It was too late though, the bugs had already found their way inside the strange shell. The man fell to the ground, thrashing about to try to remove the swarm. His movements slowly subsided and his plant cover fell open, revealing the Aburame boy to his blank eyes.

"Bug clone no jutsu. Works every time."

The man had no idea the magnitude of the sight he was seeing with his blurred vision, for tugging at the corner of somber boys lips was the hint of a smile. It was the last thing he saw before Shino lodged a kunai in his unprotected skull.

At the same time Lee was facing off against the sole remaining member of the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Itachi stood with his arms loose at his sides, seemingly unthreatened by the man that stood before him.

"Gai-sensei taught me how to fight a sharingan user you know. It's really not that hard. All I have to do is avoid looking you in the eye."

Stoically, the red-eyed man stared at his opponent.

"Oh? And how do you propose to do that?"

Grinning, the taijutsu master struck his infamous 'nice guy pose'.

"Like this!"

In a flash the anbu's resident speed demon disappeared, only to reappear behind the last Uchiha. Unfortunately for Lee, Itachi's complete sharingan had little trouble picking up his movements, and as soon as Lee arrived he was already in the process of swinging his arm back for a savage backhand. In another blur Konoha's beautiful green beast was gone again, stopping a few feet away from the sharingan master.

"As I told your brother so many years ago it doesn't matter if your eyes can see me if your body can't."

Gradually the three flecks of Itachi's sharingan began to spin.

"I see, but I am not my brother. Now you will see it too"

At amazing speed he whirred through a set of seals, ending with the tiger seal. He then spread his arms wide with his palms open.

"Katon: fire whirl no jutsu!"

Rapidly, his body began to twist and chords of flame grew from his hands. The faster he spun the longer the ropes of fire grew, until they were almost thirty feet long. Lee did little but stare in awe. At least that's all he did until he realized the imminent danger, as the fire whips grew dangerously close. He back flipped out of the way, opting not to risk getting in close and to instead let Itachi waste his chakra. When the sharingan master noticed what Lee was up to he instantly stopped his attack and began forming more seals.

"Katon: hibunshin no jutsu (Fire clone)!"

With the completion of his words three clones appeared beside Itachi. They were in the Uchiha's form, but instead of flesh they were clearly made of flame. A nod from their maker signaled them to attack the stunned Konoha shinobi. When they were close enough they each threw simultaneous punches but they missed as Lee leapt into the air. This turned out to be a mistake as the clones raised their heads and opened their mouths, from which, shot screaming jets of fire. Not too excited about the prospect of being burned to cinders the formerly bowl-cutted wonder did the only thing he could do in that situation.

"Konoha senpuu!"

The fierce winds created by his leg whipping around drove back the incoming flames. The instant his feet touched the ground he was off again, attacking the clones in an effort to disperse them. The first clone dropped from a vicious kick to the chest. With a spinning backhand another fell, though it did singe his hand in the process. Finally, the third clone was destroyed as it was split from head to toe with a jumping kunai strike. Having finished his work Lee began to slowly turn back to his real opponent, only to come face to face with a fully formed mangekyou sharingan.

"Shibata!" He swore, barely closing his eyes in time.

Sadly, this left him open to Itachi's double open-handed blow to his chest, sending him flying backwards. Skidding to a stop, he cursed his mistake. Not one to be kept down by a single error he righted himself and took his classic taijutsu pose.

"That was fun Itachi-san. Are you ready for round two?"

Without waiting for a response he was off again, moving even faster than before. Amazed, Itachi watched as Lee ran around him in an ever increasingly tight circle.

'It seems he's opened the first celestial gate. This could be….troublesome.'

No sooner had he completed his thought than the taijutsu master appeared beneath him, kicking him squarely in the chin and sending him soaring into the air. Before the Uchiha could react his opponent was behind him in the air and the bandages from his arms were wrapping him tightly.

"Omote renge (initial lotus)!"

Knowing the dangers of allowing the attack to be completed, Itachi knew he had to do something about it.

"Hiken (heat fist)!"

The blazing heat that emanated from his hand lit the bandages on fire, forcing Lee to release his grip lest he be seriously burned. Itachi did not escape unharmed though. Being surrounded by such intense heat had left him much worse for wear. Panting he regained his footing and raised his arms into the traditional Uchiha taijutsu stance. Lee was hurt too, opening the celestial gates is always a dangerous proposition, but he was still better off than his opponent.

"It's time to end this Itachi! Heal gate open!"

Encased in a flare of blue chakra Lee's wounds began to heal at an amazing rate. Before long it was like he had never been injured at all. Lee new the hazards of the eight celestial gates all too well so he knew he had to act fast. In a flash he was in front of the Uchiha, driving a hard punch into his gut. His opponent bent over from the blow and in response the green beast slammed his knee into his forehead, knocking his scratched hitai-ate off.

"You have no right to wear that forehead protector no matter how damaged it is."

As if to drive his point home he crossed his arms in front of him and with all of his muscled tensed brought them, bent, to his sides.

"The sixth! View gate open!"

His pupils immediately disappeared as veins rose all over his body. The chakra around his body resembled the exhaust of a jet engine. It made an audible roaring noise as it burned around his body. With movement far too fast for even the sharingan to follow he dashed toward his opponent.

"Asa kujaku! (morning peacock)"

With flaming fists he punched the Uchiha hundreds of times in a second. His body, unable to compensate for the force by recoiling from the blows, simply broke. First his ribs shattered, then his arms and legs, then his hips, and finally, his neck snapped back, ending the life of the man who had murdered his entire clan. He would not be missed.

Exhausted, Lee fell, the strain from opening that many of the celestial gates being far too great for his body to handle. Before he reached the ground a pair of slim arms caught him and his vision was filled with pink.

"Sakura-san?"

"Shut up Lee and let me heal you."

Smiling, he closed his eyes and let the woman work.

In the middle of the field Naruto was not making much progress against the head of Akatsuki. Each punch he threw was blocked, while at the same time he dodged all the hits coming his way. Angrily, his opponent spat at the ground.

"This is getting us nowhere. Let's step this up a notch."

With no further warning the strange-eyed man allowed a terrible roar to pass through his lips. As he did so the glow from his eyes could be seen growing more and more intense. When he was finished they were glowing a fierce green that could only be described as 'unholy'. Slowly, the enemy of all things Naruto holds dear leveled his gaze at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Unleash the Kyuubi. If you don't you will never stand a chance against me."

Comfortably wearing his trademark grin Naruto shook his head.

"I'd rather find out for myself first. It's more fun to fight when it's hard."

As the two leaders spoke the victors from the other battles began to gather around them.

"Everyone stay back. Remember what I said. This is my fight and my fight alone."

Reluctantly his friends nodded their agreement while moving slightly farther away from the combatants. Unnoticed by the host of Konoha shinobi a devious smile had spread across the face of the man who led the Red Moon.

"I see now. Well this should make things easier. I really don't want to even bother fighting you if you're not at full strength, but I can't leave now. It seems I will have to force you to use the Kyuubi."

Turning back to face his opponent Naruto gazed at him questioningly.

"And how why exactly do you think you are capable of this?"

Smirking wickedly, teeth bared to the evening sun, the man casually observed the people around him.

"Because, Naruto-kun, I am a master of persuasion."

And with that he was gone, running at full tilt towards Sakura who was still busy healing Lee. Because of her burden her ability to defend herself was greatly reduced and she took the flying kick from the man solidly in the chest sending her tumbling backwards. Unconscious she lay with a still wounded green beast lying over her in an attempt to protect her.

"Sakura-chan!" The hokage yelled as he stretched out his hand in an already too late attempt to halt the man's progress. "You bastard! Leave my friends out of this."

"Oh how I wish I could do that Naruto-kun, but you've forced my hand. In order to fight the Kyuubi I will do anything it takes, and that includes ending the lives of your miserable 'friends'."

His final word were infused with such venom that it sent a chill up the spines of the people gathered.

"Well then, how about the blue-haired girl next? I'll bet she screams when she dies. Shall we find out?"

With an inhuman burst of speed he was off, tearing up the ground as he sprinted towards the wounded wife of the Hokage. Once he was within ten feet of her he swiftly pulled out a kunai and prepared to plunge it into her heart. Three steps later he thrust the weapon forward and it quickly split the flesh it came into contact with. The thing was it had not reached its intended target. Instead the blade was sunk through the outstretched hand of a now very angry Naruto. With a fist infused with angry red chakra he struck the man in the face sending him skidding across the ground and into a nearby tree.

"You wanted the Kyuubi did you? Well now you've got him. I hope you don't have any regrets."

Picking himself up from the splintered remains of the tree the man with the glowing eyes casually brushed himself off.

"Excellent. Finally, I get to see the power of the king of demons. This is truly a great day for I will finally take that power for myself."

"**Kill him brat!" ** Said a voice that most people only hear in their nightmares.

Naruto was not 'most people' though. For him the voice spoke whenever it damn well felt like it, a fact that the demon fox had pointed out at many inopportune times.

"Don't worry fox. I will."

Suddenly Naruto's body exploded with red chakra, extending twenty feet in all directions before slowly compressing around him. With the chakra came a few physical changes as his fingers grew sharp claws, his canines elongated, and the whisker marks on his cheeks darkened significantly.

"The fox says he wants me to kill you. I'm not sure why exactly but at this time I have no reason to refuse him, especially after you tried to hurt my Hina-chan. Do you know what happened to the last man that did that? He's dead. I killed him."

Horrifyingly, the man just laughed, his insane grin growing wider by the second. Suddenly, with enough force to shatter the ground beneath him, Konoha's Red Rage took off. Leaving a trail of fiery red chakra in his wake he raced towards his mortal enemy. In under a second he had covered the sixty feet that separated him from his opponent and drove his fist into the man's face. Pressing his advantage he tore after the now air born shinobi and pulled back his fist for another hit. As he came even with the man he was shocked to see his eyes closed and the murderous smirk still on his face. Abruptly the gleaming eyes of the Akatsuki head opened, nearly blind Naruto with their intensity. Quickly the Hokage shut his eyes to protect them from the glare, but this left him wide open to the man's kick, which was aimed at his head. Imagine the lunatic's surprise then when a single clawed hand of his target caught his leg. Opening his eyes to reveal his vertically slitted pupils the demon container let out a guttural roar as he slammed the man into the ground with his own leg. Without releasing his leg Naruto stomped down on the man's stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs. In an attempt at defense the eerie-eyed man flashed through some seals and promptly blew a massive fireball directly into the Hokage's face. In yet another surprising development for the leader of Akatsuki his attack didn't even faze his opponent. Instead, the fire seemed to be deflected by the aura of red chakra that the boy was emitting. Still gripping his leg, Naruto lifted him from the ground and tossed the man into the air. Crossing his fingers in front of him the blond executed his trademark move.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

Immediately twenty clones covered the ground around Konoha's Godaime Hokage. In an incredible feat of control each clone began to form a large spinning ball of red chakra in their palms. Simultaneously, all the clones heaved themselves into the air at the, now descending, Red Moon. While still in the air the clones surrounded him and completely shut off any path of escape. With a yell that echoed across the clearing they fought in the Naruto's thrust their rasengans forward. As the jutsu met its target an earth-shattering boom erupted from the explosion. The blast was nearly fifty feet in diameter and forced the ground underneath it to move. Chakra flared about wildly as the attack neared its completion, and then it was gone and so was the man who thought he could win against the sixth Hokage of Konoha. All that was left of him was his discarded robe and the unpleasant memories.

With his head bowed Naruto turned to the circle of friends that surrounded him. Walking over to Hinata he carefully picked her up in his arms and she slung hers around his neck, planting a kiss on his cheek before burying her head in his chest. Tenderly, Lee picked up the injured healer despite her insistence that she was ok. Slowly they began their walk away from the now ruined field and headed towards the village gates. In a display of typical Narutoness the blond was back to smiling, though it probably had something to do with the kiss.

"Nice work guys."

There was nothing left but the cheers.

A/N: Now if that isn't epic I don't know what is. I'll tell you this though, its going to be a while before I write another large scale fight scene I'm drained and the sun is rising. I wish I was kidding about that. Nobody worry though. I'm not done with the story. I'm going to keep busting it out as long as you guys express interest. That's just how crazy I am. Oh, and I believe that Shibata shit. If I'm wrong tell me.

Dragon Man 180: Now now. Naruto mangling a corpse? That's going a bit far don't you think?

RawD: Yeah, that chapter was long and took forever to write. Wild enough for you?

madnarutofan: Haha. More than enough. I'm easy to please. The fight didn't go exactly as you predicted but probably close enough. I agree with the mega ass kicking though.

DragoonVBK: One of the best you've ever read? Sweet. The oneshot plan is also a lot easier for me to write so expect more of it.

nonengel: Glad you enjoyed the fights I tried to stay true to what I figured the characters would be able to do at that point. Shikamaru was awesome in these fights. I've always just pictured him using some really sneaky attacks that completely mess with a battle. As for why I don't have Chouji in the fights….. hmmm I guess it was because it was either him or Ino. I wanted the numbers to be even + Shikamaru (His stuff with Diedara was planned long ahead of time). Bottom line is I just thought that Ino would be more interesting than him in the fights as his attacks are all pretty basic (though they are cool at times) and I really didn't think I could have him go the crazy suicide pill route again. I hope that satisfies you.

Danny-171984: Better believe she's scary when she's angry. Sorry for hurting Hinata it had to be done for the battle to happen the way I wanted. Not sure what you're talking about with Naruto vs Sasuke. That one's already done and over with. I assume you just got confused and meant someone else.

lunarangel: Wow. Just wow. I actually had to go back and review my chapters just to be able to know what you were talking about some of the time. Congratulations you stumped the author. Thanks as always for you crazy long and insane review. I love it muchly.


	14. Genesis

A/N: Wow this is short. Don't worry there's more to come, probably tonight.

Genesis

"She's so beautiful."

With trembling hands, Naruto brushed his fingers over his newborn daughter's velvety hair. Completely drained from her ordeal Hinata cradled her child in her arms as she gazed lovingly at her husband.

"Naruto-kun?"

He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Hmm?"

"What should we name her?"

Slowly the Hokage glanced down at the newest member of his family. With tenderness that only his wife knew he was capable of he stroked the sleeping child's cheek.

"I was thinking…. Of naming her after my mother."

Unsure of himself, he looked to his wife for her approval. The weary smile that Hinata wore spoke volumes, and daintily she nodded her agreement.

"I love it Naruto-kun. And so Uzumaki Natsuki will be reborn as our daughter. She's got quite the name to live up to doesn't she?"

The blond smiled down at the two most beautiful girls he had ever seen.

"She certainly does."


	15. Celebrations

Celebrations

With her hands on her hips Hinata glared at the man walking down the road towards her. Oblivious to the impending doom, Naruto continued to happily skip down the road towards the wife he assumed was waiting to greet him.

"Naruto-kun where have you been?"

In a skillful, for Naruto at least, attempt at dodging the question he posed one of his own.

"Hey Starshine. How was your day?"

Completely unfooled by his tactic the pale-eyed girl pressed on.

"Nice try Fox boy. Answer my question."

"I was off uh doing Hokage stuff. You know how it is."

Her irritation growing, Hinata began to tap her foot angrily on the ground.

"Mmhmm, then why, pray tell, were you not in your office when I went there?"

The blond new he had to act quickly. His wife's suspicion was clearly growing and he couldn't have her find out what he had been doing.

"I was working Tsunade at her place. There was some paperwork that I needed help with so I decided to consult her. It's quite helpful having an ex-Hokage around to help out every now and then."

Naruto had to hold back a relieved sigh as he watched the anger fade from his wife's eyes. The danger was averted, for now.

"Alright then Hokage-sama dinner is almost ready."

Rolling his eyes with frustration, Naruto released the sigh he had held back before.

"Hinata, you know I hate it when you call me that."

"Yeah, I know." She giggled as she jumped on his back.

"Uh oh girl. You've done it now. Get ready for a ride."

He waited for her to cling tightly to his back before he took off running. Clearly intending to give the beautiful girl on his back a hard time for her earlier interrogation, he began to bounce off the walls of the buildings along the road, causing her to jerk back and forth behind him. In response she tightened her grip around his neck enough that his breathing was restricted, a signal that he took to mean 'slow down'. Complying to Hinata's 'request' the still hyperactive man chose to simply run down the middle of the road the rest of the way. A moment before the pair reached their front door the dark-haired kunoichi suddenly pressed down on his shoulders, sending her catapulting into the air above him. In a routine that had clearly been executed several times Naruto waited for his wife to finish the maneuver. Twisting and flipping in the air the anbu princess began her descent. Standing on the ground below the blond reached out and caught her, mere seconds before she would hit the ground. Cradling her bridal style, Naruto grinned down at the woman he loved. Giving him a quick kiss on the tip of his nose Hinata motioned towards the door.

"Cmon Fox boy, If we don't go in now dinner will be ruined."

Never one to risk wasting a good food Naruto set her down before opening the door so she could enter.

The next few days passed in much the same fashion, minus the suspicious questions thankfully. As they were going to bed that night Naruto snuck something into the room which he placed silently in the nightstand.

When Hinata awoke the next morning she was surprised to see her husband was already awake and smiling sweetly at her.

"Happy birthday Starshine."

Purring contentedly, she stretched her arms above her head. Completing the stretch she reached out and pulled her husband on top of her by his neck. Half-lidded eyes met his cerulean ones as she smiled up at him.

"Mmm, thank you Naruto-kun."

Kissing her lips lightly he pulled himself out of her grip.

"Don't thank me yet beautiful. Let me give you your present first."

Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched expectantly as Naruto reached into the drawer and pulled out the gift he had stashed there the night before. After being handed the small box she turned it over in hands, inspecting it.

"Did you have help wrapping this? It's way too good to have been done by you."

Mildly embarrassed at having been found out, he admitted that he had had some outside assistance.

"I had Sakura wrap it for me. My hands are too big and klutzy for that kind of thing. Now come on. Open it up."

Gradually, Hinata did as she was asked, being careful not to rip any of the paper as she went.

"I'll never understand why women do that. It's just wrapping paper after all."

Sighing, she tried to explain it to her husband.

"Think of it this way. Would you stomp on a flower for no reason? Of course you wouldn't. It's beautiful and should be preserved, just like this paper."

"I guess so, but I'm impatient."

Laughing in the way she always does with him she shook her head in exasperation.

"That you are. That you are."

Eventually she finished unwrapping her gift, revealing a small jewelry box. Slowly she cracked open the lid exposing the insides to view. She couldn't help but gasp as she saw it. Lying in the box was a small silver necklace with a stylized silver fox pendant on it. The pendant was of a small sitting fox that had its tail wrapped up and over its head and back down to its feet again. Its single visible eye was made of a small sapphire that seemed to radiate with blue fire.

"Naruto-kun, it's beautiful."

Gently taking the necklace from her hands he clasped it around her neck, before leading her over to mirror so she could see. Standing behind her, he bent over until his face was beside hers. He then turned his head and placed a single, loving kiss on her cheek.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Naruto, I love it. Where on earth did you find it?"

Smiling smugly, he told her.

"I made it with help from Tenten's father. That's where I've been running off to the past couple of weeks. You had me worried. You almost spoiled your own birthday surprise." He said with a laugh.

"Gomen Naruto-kun."

With a tender touch, he turned her to face him before lacing his arms around her.

"No apologies Starshine. No harm no foul right?"

Pulling her back from him he gazed lovingly in to her eyes.

"It's not over yet though. I wrote you a little something to try to say what you mean to me.'

Slowly he walked over to his dresser and opened a drawer before shuffling things around in it. After finding what he was looking for, he pulled the piece of paper from the drawer. Sitting down on the easy chair in the corner of their room he gestured for her to come sit with him. Without hesitation she came over and sat down on his lap. He the proceeded to rest his chin on her shoulder and wrap his arms around her so that he was holding the paper in front of him. Waiting until she was comfortable he began to read.

"Chaos laced with infinite grace

Encircle our minds as we stare into space.

You marvel at the stars

I wonder at your grace.

I'm just thankful you're here with me.

There used to be a time

When I couldn't seem to find my smile

Then an angel found me

And chose to stay with me a while

I don't know what I did to deserve

This gift that heaven bore

I just know

I can't live without you anymore

So stay with me

Angel with pure white wings

And share with me

All the joys that life brings

I'll hold you close

I'll keep you warm

I'll keep you safe

From the raging storm

'Cuz when I look into your eyes

I see everything I'll ever need

So I hope that you'll accept

My simple, spoken creed

That as long as I still breathe

I'll always be happier with you here by me."

No words were used to respond to Naruto's heartfelt poem, the tears streaming from her lavender eyes said more than enough. Tenderly he took her chin in his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the still falling tears.

"I love you more than anything in the world Starshine, and I always will."

"I love you too Naruto-kun. This is the best birthday ever."

A mischievous gleam flashed in Naruto's eye.

"It's not over yet."

Uzumaki Naruto, still surprising people after all these years.

"I figured that you would like something nice to wear to party all of our friends are having for you tonight.

Standing up, Naruto led her to the closet. There, hidden in the back behind a few of Naruto's old, orange training suits, was the most beautiful dress Hinata had ever seen. Reverently, she pulled the dress from the closet. It's color was a pale blue-violet and the silk it was made of shimmered in the sunlight that came through the window. The collar was embroidered with a silver vine with flowers that sprouted from it. That pattern continued from there, starting at her right shoulder before diving down through the center of her chest, wrapping around behind her back slightly above her waist, and then emerging at the front again on her right hip, and then finally ending at the front center of the knee-length dress.

Still clutching the dress in her hand Hinata whirled around to face her beaming husband. In a flash she was upon him, tackling him back on to their bed. With fresh tears in her eyes she spoke into he blond man's chest.

"So, do you like it?"

"I love it. It's beautiful."

Lacing his fingers in her blue hair he pulled her closer to him. He decided to take his opportunity to reuse a cheesy line from the day he proposed to her.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you."

A/N: Right back into the fluff. I figured that it would be a nice change from ye old epic fight scene that we just finished.

Raziel Tepes: Thanks. I hope it will stay good too. Dark eh? I've got no idea what you're talking about.

johnnyG: Thanks. I'll do my best

Dragon Man 180: Corrections will be made. I'm going to go back through all my chapters and correct the super obvious errors I've made along the way. To be honest the fight scene drained me quite a bit. I might go back at some other time and make their fight longer but don't hold your breath. At least you liked the end to Lee and Shino's fights. I think they handled themselves well. Ive got no idea what I'll do with little Natsuki. She might not even end up in the story in any major form. We shall see.

RawD: HAH! Glad you liked it. 20 rasengan beat down. What a way to go.

DemonCloudStrife: Welcome to the raging hobo family. I'm quite pleased that you liked the vows. They're one of my favorite parts of the story. First battle was a score too? Sweet. Tsunade is a scary individual. I worry about anyone that can easily shatter rock with their fist. And you brought your friends along for the ride? Do you have some sort of fan fiction reading party? That would be so cool in a really geeky sort of way. I know that some of the stuff is a bit off, but I try to keep the people in ways that I truly believe that they would develop. Keep reading. Keep loving.

hopeless-flame: High praise. I hope I can continue to live up to it.


	16. Eclipse

Eclipse

"No."

Time seemed to slow down around him as he ran.

"No."

Fighting against the distance he ran towards his fear. Just ahead of him was the sight he hoped he would never see.

"No."

Terrified, he watched as the kunai soared at the woman he loved. Unable to move fast enough, he could do nothing as it happened.

"No."

The razor sharp blade tore into her flesh as easily as it tore through the air. Eyes wide and mouth agape his angel fell to the ground.

"NO!"

As fast as he could he ran to where she lay. Scooping her up with his trembling arms, his tears spilled onto her face.

"No! You can't die! You can't leave me!"

With a serenity that belied how injured she was she smiled up at him.

"Take care of Natsuki."

"You can take care of her yourself. I can't do this without you."

Weakly she reached up and cradled his cheek in her hand.

"Yes… you can. I love you Naruto-kun."

With her final words her arm fell limply to her side.

"No! You can't die! I won't let you!"

Shaking, he buried his face in her unmoving chest. Raising his eyes to the heaven he screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun what's wrong?

With a start his cerulean eyes snapped open revealing the welcome sight before him. Without a second thought his arms shot out and wrapped around the source of his happiness.

"I saw you die. I thought I'd lost you."

Clutching his head to her chest she rubbed his back soothingly.

"I'm alright. It was just a nightmare."

Sobs racked his body as he gripped her tighter to him.

"I was so scared."

Shushing him gently, she laced her fingers through his hair.

"I know, but it's ok now. I'm here."

Gradually she leaned back, pulling him down on top of her. He proceeded to bury his face in his wife's welcoming arms.

"Don't ever leave me. I need you."

Tenderly, she lifted his head so he could see her smiling gently at him.

"I can't leave you Naruto-kun. You're too much a part of me."

Slowly he laid his head back on her chest, reveling in her scent that reminded him of lilacs. With a sigh he closed his eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep, a comfortable smile gracing his face once more.

A/N: HA! I'm a little bastard, I know. Just seeing if you guys have been paying attention. This is the absolute only way that Hinata will ever die in my story.

Dragon Man 180: Hahahaha. You certainly have taken a liking to little Natsuki. I feel like I have to write something for her now just to keep you happy. Glad you liked the birthday chapter. It was some damn good sugary sweetness.

madnarutofan: Yep. It's got something for everybody. Hope you enjoyed the fake tragedy chapter.

Raziel Tepes: I hope this chapter was a good combination of dark and sweet for you. I have a feeling that most of the fight scenes I do will end up being fairly dark in nature. Especially the smaller scale ones that I can actually spend more time on the individuals with.

RawD: I've got a thing for poetry and song writing. Can you tell?

TVO (): Glad you liked the battle. It was damn hard to write. You are mostly correct. Chapter 15 did take place before 14 as to if it happened before or after the battle. Well I'm really not sure. It's entirely possible that I will decide later. For now I'm simply leaving it open to interpretation. I hope that's ok with you.


	17. Friends

A/N: Sorry about the last chapter folks. I needed to write something like that for some reason. It was just another one of the ideas that popped into my head that I had to use. It sure was dramatic though wasn't it?

Friends

The cheer went up as soon as she walked in the door.

"Happy Birthday!"

Smiling broadly, she bowed graciously to her gathered friends. She turned as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Standing before her she saw her pink-haired friend Sakura.

"Wow Hinata. You look amazing in that dress."

Still unused to compliments, the dark-haired girl blushed a deep crimson at her words.

"Arigatou Sakura-san."

With her eyes narrowed slightly Sakura rebuked her friend.

"Please don't call me Sakura-san. It makes me feel weird. We're friends aren't we? Just Sakura will be fine."

Leaning over her shoulder, her husband spoke in her ear.

"That goes for everyone in this room. There is absolutely no need for formalities with anyone here. Especially that guy."

He said, pointing over at the red-haired man known as Gaara, who stood by his siblings smiling a smile that was only his. A cross between a smirk and a sigh, it nonetheless conveyed an immense kindness. Drawing her attention back to her, Sakura rubbed the fabric of her friend's new dress between her fingers.

"Did Naruto get you this dress? It's beautiful."

Beaming with pride the blond wrapped his arms around his wife.

"You're darn right I did."

Not wanting to let him get too full of himself, Sakura decided to knock him down a peg.

"Well I guess you eventually had to do something right."

Naruto's response was to glare at his former teammate. The birthday girl quickly quelled his anger though, when turned and gave him a kiss on the cheek. A blissful grin now curling his lips, the Hokage raised his arms to get everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone! Let's get this party started."

As if responding to his own command Naruto swept his wife up in his arms and carried her towards the table their friends had seated themselves at. Conversation was light and fun, mostly concentrating on people's favorite memories of the now twenty-year-old Hyuuga. The most common memory brought up, by far, was of Hinata watching Naruto from the shadows. Apparently the only one who hadn't seen her there was the blond man who was being watched.

Naruto split his time at the dinner between listening to the stories (which were all quite new to him), and observing the clearly blooming relationships amongst the people there. He watched as Neji gave a surprisingly warm smile every time he caught Tenten looking at him.

'It seems the great Neji is finally letting someone get to him.' The blond thought with a quiet chuckle.

Naruto took a break from his spying to listen to the story of how Hinata had almost fallen out of a tree one time when she was following him around the village. He was unprepared when the stories turned from his wife to the tale of how he acted before their first take. Sakura was barely able to get the words out between laughs.

"You should have seen him. He literally tripped over his own feet as he ran around trying to get ready, smacked his face right into the wall. He's lucky he asked me to help him prepare, since I was able to heal the bruises so he wouldn't look like he just lost a fight. He was so cute, nearly cut off his face while shaving. You would think that a trained ninja would be better with a blade. I'm really quite surprised he made it out of his apartment alive."

For his part, Naruto just sat and glared at the snickering kunoichi. Hinata glanced over at him as if to ask if what Sakura was saying was the truth.

"You were nervous Naruto-kun? That's so sweet."

A chorus of 'awws' erupted from the gathered shinobi. Earning a silencing look from Naruto and a crimson blush from the girl at his side. The story finished, the Rokudaime Hokage went back to spying on his friends. Some things were no secret, Lee was dating Sakura, and somehow Chouji had gotten Ino over her dislike of fat, as they were now a couple. Kiba was more open about whoever he was dating than anyone would like to hear. Shino had married a quiet kunoichi from his clan. Despite her silence though she was unlike her husband in her mannerisms. She always wore a smile and her eyes seemed to gleam with an incredible joy of life. Gaara was too busy running his country for a relationship at the moment but he did have a large number of suitors. Now that his homicidal tendencies were a thing of the past, many women found themselves attracted to the emerald-eyed Kazekage. His brother Kankurou spent a bit too much time with his puppets for most women to feel comfortable, but he had somehow found a bride, whom he had left at home on this particular trip. This left two people in the room single, and they were currently locked in an argument. At least that's how it appeared too most people but Naruto had looked 'underneath the underneath', or just under the table, and seen Temari's hand on Shikamaru's thigh. The blue-eyed blond had little choice but to laugh at the situation unfolding in front of him, which turned the attention of everyone at the table on him.

"What's so funny Whisker's?" Ino asked, using a nickname she had developed for him that she knew he hated.

Choosing to ignore Ino's comment for now, but vowing to get back at her later, Naruto glanced over at the secretive lovebirds.

"Oh nothing." He said with a suggestive wink at two.

Chouji was the only one at the table who had noticed Naruto winking at his former teammate, and realizing what was going on, decided to cover for him.

"Hey guys, I think it's about time we gave Hinata her presents."

Nodding their agreement the group rose and prepared to leave. Sakura spoke up.

"Come on Hinata, we've got them all at my place."

Naruto quietly went and paid the bill and they were off. Along the way Temari decided to waste Naruto and Chouji's earlier efforts to keep her relationship a secret, and she jumped on the back of the super genius with a bad attitude. Loudly she demanded a ride to Sakura's, and whispered in Shikamaru's ear that there would be rewards involved. She accentuated her promise with a nip at his earlobe and the wearer of the crow mask had all the convincing he needed.

Shortly they arrived at Sakura's house and entered to see a table set up in the main room literally littered with gifts. Being the ever-gracious hostess she is, Sakura quickly pulled up a chair for Hinata to sit in.

"Alright birthday girl." Sakura said as she walked around in front of her. "Dig in."

Silently, she reached out and grabbed the closest present to her, which just happened to be from Chouji. Quickly she opened it to reveal, and a big surprise here, a cookbook. Hinata was in little need of added instruction in cooking, as she was already quite skilled, but she looked forward to trying new recipes from the book. Sincerely she thanked her friend before moving on to the next present. It progressed on like this for a while, with Shikamaru getting her an ornate shouji set. Shino got her some butterfly hair clips. Kankurou gave her a small, hand carved, sculpture of a fox. Temari got her a set of ceremonial fans that bore an image of a butterfly in front of a moon. Lee had gotten her (with Sakura's help to keep him from getting her training gear) a tennis bracelet with small black jewels set in it. Hinata had insisted that Lee's gift was far too expensive for her to accept but he refused her attempts to return it, saying that she should consider it a late wedding present as well since he had been unable to attend. Finally relenting Hinata moved on to Kiba's gift. The dog trainer had an incredibly broad grin plastered on his face as she opened it only to see a book. The title was 'How to Train Your Dog' and taped to the front cover was a picture of Naruto with a stupid grin on his face and bandages covering his body. The blond Hokage glared at him as he began to clench and unclench his fist. Quickly realizing the danger of the situation, he pulled his real gift out from behind his back. With equal speed the pale-eyed girl tore through the paper in an attempt to keep her husband from injuring their friend. Finally, she exposed another book, but this one was clad in velvet. On the front cover was the word 'Forever'. Opening it up revealed it to be a diary. Hinata thanked him for his gift and then asked that everyone pass it around and sign it. Placated, Naruto allowed Kiba to keep his life for now. Ino's gift was next, and it revealed just how different Ino was from most kunoichi. Inside the box was the raciest piece of lingerie the Hyuuga girl had ever seen. Swiftly, she put it back in the box and thanked her blond friend, all the while thinking of the fun she was going to have teasing Naruto with this one. Neji had gotten her a formal yukata for the times when she would accompany Naruto on diplomatic missions. Sakura got her a pass for a day at a spa, saying that living with that blond freak had to have her on edge, and that this would be a nice break. Tenten gave her a finely sharpened kodachi. On the hilt were several small foxes that all looked up to a larger fox near the guard. The hilt was also inlaid with gold that ended in a small leaf at the base. Placing the blade on her lap, Hinata bowed to the elder kunoichi. At last it was time for Gaara's gift. A small cloud of sand gently floated towards the seated girl. When it was directly in front of her the upper layers of sand opened up to present the largest emerald that any of them had ever seen. Gaara simply stated that he had found it in the sand and that he had no use for it, bidding that she do with it what she will.

At that moment the diary made it back to Hinata and she opened it up to read what they had written. Almost immediately tears began to pour from her eyes as a small smile graced her lips. Standing up, she bowed her head to her friends.

"Thank you everyone. You have no idea what this all means to me. I love each and every one of you with all of my heart and I'm so thankful that I know you. I only hope that some day I can make you feel the same joy you make me feel."

Converging on her the group wrapped their arms around their quiet friend. Suddenly, the voice of her husband, who was directly behind her, broke through the silence.

"You already do Starshine."

A/N: Behold! A hint of other pairings that could show up in this story if I feel like it. It would be rather dishonest of me if I were to put those in the summary though. I hope you all liked what I had them get her. It took forever to come up with some of them.

Hopeless-flame: I'm very happy you enjoyed that chapter and I'm especially glad you liked the poem. As a songwriter I realized the connection that songs and poetry have. So complimenting my poems is like complimenting my songs. Definitely no death for Naruto's Starshine. Ever. Don't worry. Continue I shall.

Nonengel. I'm glad you enjoyed the end of the battle. I worked very hard on it. It's damn tough churning out a chapter a night sometimes. Gahahaha. Sorry about that one. I've got a little bit of a mean streak in me, and it was a way to throw some tear jerking in there without actually killing anyone. I assure you that if you ever see Hinata dead in my story I'm lying.

Raziel Tepes: I do the short chapter thing sometimes, but that usually means I'm doing more than one in a night like now. I'm a tricksy fellow. What can I say?


	18. Conception

A/N: This is set before Natsuki is born. That seems to be a common question I'm getting so I figured I would head it off at the pass. I'm still unsure what I'm going to do with the littlest Uzumaki so for now she's only got her birth as an appearance. Someday she'll be around though. Actually an idea is forming in my head as I write this. She might show up sooner than I thought.

Conception

Naruto was spending his morning engaged in his favorite activity, watching his wife go about her business. He casually sat at the kitchen table with his chin cradled in his hands as she was making breakfast. A mildly perverted grin spread across his face as he watched her behind sway as she danced before the stove.

Quietly, he rose from his seat and snuck up behind his wife. Normally this wouldn't work on a skilled ninja like Hinata, but the blond wasn't Hokage for nothing. His movements were completely silent and he was able to always stay in his wife's blind spot. In a moment he was behind her, and before she could notice him his arms were around her waist. He lowered his chin lovingly onto her shoulder, and she in turn closed her eyes and leaned her head on his. Silently, they stood like that, swaying slightly to the light tune coming from the radio. Every now and then the Naruto would plant a light kiss on the side of her neck, making her sigh happily each time. While all of this was going on the pale-eyed girl was skillfully keeping their breakfast from burning. Deciding that it was ready she tried, and failed, to shrug off her adoring husband. Instead he followed her around with his arms still firmly in place, unwilling to give up his comfortable position. To be honest, Hinata had no problem with it either. Dutifully, she went about dispensing the breakfasts onto plates and putting them on the table.

Finally relinquishing his grip, Naruto sat in a chair at the head of the table as his wife sat beside him. Hinata quickly accepted the hand that Naruto had placed on the table. It was more than worth it to eat with her left hand if it meant having the contact with her blond. They ate in silence, looking into the others eyes adoringly.

When they finished eating they simply left their dishes on the table, determining that they could wait for later. Sweeping her up in his arms, Naruto walked out to their living room and sat down on the couch with Hinata on top of him. He pulled a fleece blanket off the back of the couch, and used it to cover him and his love. Hinata snuggled down into her husband's body before something occurred to her.

"Naruto-kun, aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Pulling Hinata in closer to him, he shook his head.

"Nothing that's anywhere near worth missing this."

Knowing how hard Naruto usually worked, Hinata decided that missing a day was fine. It's not like he would be fired. After all, how could they fire the Hokage that rid the world of Akatsuki? Naruto placed a tender kiss on her ear, sending a warm feeling down her spine.

"I've missed doing this so much." He said as he slid on the couch until he was lying down.

The small girl on top of him turned her body until she was face down.

"Mmm, me too."

No further words were spoken before they fell asleep in each other's arms.

A couple hours later they awoke, feeling more content than they had felt in a long time. Eventually they forced themselves to get up; there were things you have to do for yourself even if you are the Hokage. Grocery shopping was one such thing. Still warm from the earlier contact, they stepped out into the bright midday sun. And so they went about their routine. Buying what they needed from the shops, and being greeted warmly by just about everyone. Naruto was overjoyed at how people were accepting him now. He had fought long and hard to get people to realize whom he is, and now that it was becoming a reality, it warmed his heart. One person even came up to him and apologized for the way she had treated him when he was younger. He forgave her whole-heartedly, saying that it wasn't his style to hold a grudge. She thanked him profusely for his kindness, even allowing a tear to escape her eye.

'I guess people can change for the better.' He thought, half amused, to himself.

Their shopping completed, they returned to their home near the edge of the village. The rest of the day was spent doing the things two people who are in love do. They talked, they laughed, the snuggled, and through it all, they laughed.

It was time for bed. At least that's what Hinata told him. She left no room for argument either. It was more a command than anything else, telling him to come to bed. He insisted on a shower first, citing how he hated to sleep dirty. She complied with his request but shot him a mildly irritated glance as well. Naruto emerged from the shower, his bathrobe wrapped snugly around his otherwise naked body. He was shocked at what he saw as he entered their room. There was Hinata lying on the bed in the negligee Ino had gotten her. Smiling seductively, she used her finger to beckon him forward. Smiling broadly, Naruto leapt through the air at his wife.

'I'm really going to have to thank Ino for getting her that.'

A/N: An average day for the most part, but special all the same. The title says it all. If you don't get it wellll I question your brain power. Very little dialogue in this one. I opted for a more description-oriented chapter.

Hopeless-flame: Yep another chapter down and many more to come. I'm glad you're happy. I aims to please after all. I'm also a big ShikaTema fan so I felt I should include them in the story in some way. Naruto is what every woman dreams her husband will be like (at least I think that's what they dream. Seeing as how Im not a woman I don't know for sure.) There little girl does not exist in that chapter. Every other chapter so far has occurred before little Natsuki was born. Don't worry they're not just forgetting her someplace.

Dragon Man 180: Yeah I guess you do like kids. Don't worry I'm sure she'll show up (maybe soon). Sorry about that but it was the goal of the chapter. I got your heart going I bet. I hope I made up for the trauma I caused you with their dialogue afterwards. Haha. I made up the Kankurou thing on the spot. I was originally going to have him all alone and too busy for women or something like that, but I decided last second to have him married with her just not being there. Everybody's got to tear into Naruto sometime. It's how they show they love him. Well everyone but Lee does. Even Hinata gets in on the act sometimes and she's the nicest girl around. That would sting a bit. An exploding ball rammed up your rear. Ouchie. Glad you liked the party. I initially didn't think I would have other couples in the story but I thought it might be nice to have them interact with Naruto and Hinata.

Raziel Tepes: Thanks. I give you this. Heh. Who knows what I'll give next though?

RawD: NEVER! My readers are my toys. Haha. You know you loved it. It's how every good drama goes. Gotta pull on your heart strings some. Your wish is granted. Kind of. I've got to stay within the ratings after all. No erotica from this story. Sigh. I hope you're not too disappointed.

Danny-171984: No worries about your absence. Not everyone can keep up with my blistering pace. I'm not a laptop fan either. Theyre just a pain to use. Glad you enjoyed the massive endeavor that was the Akatsuki fight scene. I finished those and was completely drained. You forgot I liquefied his brain? Weird. It was a battle between having Sasuke come back and having him dead. I decided that it would be more fun to bump him off. Maybe I'll write another story sometime where he comes back to the good guys. Natsuki is a mystery. Until I write about her again. Should be soon. Yeah. All the chapters are before Natsuki is born until I say so. If she is alive in the chapter I will probably mention her at some point. Naruto and Hinata need to take care of their daughter after all. Gahahaha. Yep a little trickery in my story. I'm so happy to be called a bastard. Makes me feel alive. Haha. I'm sorry you aren't really a fan of my pairings. Personally I don't like ChoujiIno much either. They probably will play almost no role in the story as a couple because of that. I felt I needed to pair Tenten with Neji which is who I would have had Sakura with now that Sasuke is dead and Naruto is taken so I had to put her with Lee. I don't really care about that couple either. I like Sasuke and Sakura (especially post training with Tsunade) Theyre both pretty good characters as far as I'm concerned. There are few characters I don't like though (Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi :cough cough: ) As for ShikaTema, well, I like them better than ShikaIno and it's my fic. Lol. I really just find their interactions to be more compelling. Ino beats on Shikamaru whereas Temari duels with him. It's a battle of wits as opposed to a battle of volume.

XL (): Hahahaha. High praise I think. I'm glad you feel that I'm competent. My grammar and punctuation is not up to where I would like it but it is improving. Most errors you may see comes from my refusal to reread a chapter before I post it. Simple missed words and punctuation. Let me check something raging hobo raging hobo Sweet. Mission accomplished! I look forward to further reviews from you.

P.S. My IQ is most assuredly above sea level but I've always failed to grasp basic comma concepts. If you see any errors there. Umm. Yeah. Just remember I'm a Zoology major ok?

RLnaruhina: I too enjoyed our conversation. Feel free to bother me whenever. I forgot to add you to my list so I won't be bothering you any time soon. I may just use that Idea eventually. It would be interesting to see what her friends have to say about her wouldn't it. ShikaTema is one of my favorites as well (Duh. That's why I'm writing it.)


	19. Born With It

A/N: For the sake of people that ask I'm going to say that Naruto and Hinata are 26 in this chapter. Also, for those of you who say that Natsuki is too young to be training in this I will tell you that I started karate at age 5 (and ended at 9 so don't get all crazy on me here. Well I did another year when I was about 11 but that's beside the point.)

Born With It

"Naruto-kun what are you doing today?"

Then man she was talking to sat at the table eating breakfast beside the five-year-old Natsuki. Raising his hand, he reached over and ruffled his daughter's light blue hair.

"Natsuki and I have got some training to do. Isn't that right?"

Being nearly as excitable as her father, the youngest Uzumaki enthusiastically nodded her head. Hinata couldn't help but beam at her daughter as she practically vibrated in her chair.

"That sounds like fun. You two be careful though. Natsuki, don't hurt your father too much ok?"

"Hnn!" She responded with a vigorous nod.

"Good girl."

As much as Naruto was enjoying the exchange between his two favorite women he was anxious to get on the move.

"Come on Natsuki. Finish up. We've got a lot to do."

As if on cue, she shoveled the rest of her breakfast into her mouth and drank the rest of her juice. It seemed like, much to her mother's dismay, she was picking up some of her father's bad habits. With a flying leap the young girl latched herself onto her adoring father's leg. Having played this game many times before, Naruto knew just what to do. Lifting his leg high and to the side, he began to walk, listening to his daughter's joyful giggles all the while.

They reached the back yard but little Natsuki refused to relinquish her grip on his leg. It was all part of the game. Slowly bent over until his head was level with his daughter's, but upside down. With practiced movement he extended his hands, gripped his daughter's sides, and promptly began to tickle her until she couldn't hold on anymore. It didn't end there though. She may have let go of his leg but the game wasn't over yet, not by a long shot. Lowering himself to his hands and knees he continued to tickle her. Her tiny arms and legs flailed about in an attempt to end the assault on her sides. When her laughs were silenced by her gasps for air Naruto stopped. Tenderly he leaned forward and placed a kiss on the smiling girl's forehead. As he waited for her to regain her breath he rolled over on his back beside her. Having mostly recovered from her father's torment, she crawled over and laid down on his chest. It was times like this when Naruto really loved being a dad. Not that he ever disliked it, mind you, but times like this were the best.

"Alright, we really should get started. Your mother wouldn't like it if she found out we were playing around while she was working." (He was completely oblivious to the smiling pale-eyed woman watching from the window.)

Remembering their purpose for coming outside in the first place, Natsuki jumped to her feet. Raising himself to his knees he addressed the eager girl in front of him.

"Your mother said that you've been making a lot of progress in the use of your byakugan, and your jyuken skills are improving quickly as well."

Her lavender eyes lit up and she smile broadly at the compliment.

"Since you're not quite ready to be learning any ninjutsu we're just going to spar today, ok?"

She seemed disappointed at being told she wasn't ready to learn ninjutsu, but not too much so, as she did love to spar.

"I'll tell you what. I'll start teaching you ninjutsu as soon as you can land a hit on me. Sound good."

Having acquired some of her mother's attributes to go along with her father's boundless energy her only response was to take her fighting stance. Without rising from his knees, Naruto beckoned her to attack him. Needing no further encouragement, she was off.

Using a fusion of the jyuken and tekken fighting styles. It was figured that, if combined, they would be able to do inner and outer damage with the same blow. Because of this Natsuki looked almost like she was dancing as she fought, but each move would end with a hard thrust at the target. It was graceful and exceedingly dangerous all at once. Her first punch was a looping right that Naruto simply leaned back to dodge. She followed it up with a front kick that he raised his index finger to block. Keeping her leg raised, she spun around, feigning a second kick. At the last second she whipped her hand out, only to have it stopped by her father's open palm.

"Come on Natsuki, I know you can do better than this."

Spurred on by her father's comment, she attacked with even greater fervor. She thrust both hands forward at once, which were blocked by Naruto's hands, just as she expected. Her combo wasn't through though, and she kicked her leg up at dad's chin. Without a free hand, he wouldn't be able to block her kick, but that wasn't about to stop the Rokudaime Hokage. Lightly he pushed on his daughter's hands, causing her to lose her balance and topple over backwards. She looked up at him, wincing as she rubbed her bottom.

"That was a good try. You displayed a lot of creativity with that attack, but you need to always keep your balance. If you have no balance you have no power. Even if your kick had connected it wouldn't have done any damage. Do you understand?"

"Hai!"

Naruto smiled as the second love of his life got up off the ground and prepared for another attempt.

She started this time with a flying jump kick. Predictably, her father raised an arm to block. Before her foot came in contact with his arm she bent her leg. Her foot now landed on top of his arm and, using his arm as a springboard, she hurled herself into the air. As she rose, she used her other leg to kick at his head. He dodged it by moving his head slightly to the side. The momentum from her kick carried her into a back flip. While she was upside down she again thrust both hands at her blond sparring partner. He quickly raised his arms to block. Planting her hands on his arms she again pushed off in order to complete her rotation and land upright. Upon her landing she hunched over slightly, breathing heavily.

"That was very good Natsuki. Come on, one more time, then we'll go get some lunch."

Her eyes again lit up at the thought of food, and she rushed at her father again. Clearly telegraphing her blow she pulled her right arm back, before quickly throwing it forward again. Of course, it was no trouble for Naruto to block such an obvious attack, but he was not at all prepared for what happened next. As her palm came in contact with his blocking finger a blast of red chakra spiraled forth from her hand, the remnants of which stopped just short of Naruto's chest.

"Woo hoo hoo! That was great Natsuki! Seems the bastard fox wasn't lying when he said you would be getting some gifts from him. Come on, we've got to go tell your mother the good news."

As he finished talking he bent over so his daughter could climb on his back. After she did he stood and began walking towards the house, telling his daughter how amazing she is the entire time. Hinata greeted them at the door, asking how the training went.

"It went great! I've got some really good news."

"Oh? What's that."

With an impossibly wide grin, he pulled his wife into his arms.

"It seems Natsuki is taking after me more than we thought.

A/N: And there you have it. Natsuki's first real appearance in the story. She'll develop more every chapter she's involved in. At the moment I've got her imagined as a really sweet combination of Naruto and Hinata. Wild and energetic like her father, polite and quiet like her mother, and through it all still just a little kid.

Lunarangel: It was a compliment. I love your posts and I wanted others to get joy from them too. Itachi's roled in Akatsuki is never actually discussed in the series so far. So really anything you've heard about him is unconfirmed. Clones are fun. You know you love them. It seems you really enjoyed the fights. That's great. A lot of hard work went into them. Morning Peacock is an actual attack from the manga. Gai uses it on Kisame when they fight while going to rescue Gaara. It's called that because it creates balls of fire that seem to shoot off in a pattern that forms a peacock's tail. I'm also very glad you liked the poem. It was fun to write. Hinata's death chapter was me being as big of a bastard as I can be. It was a lot of fun. Haha.

Raziel Tepes: I don't really see it as them having accepted him quickly. He has been Hokage for a while at that point and he even beat down Akatsuki. It's not that everyone has changed. There are still people that hate him they just weren't mentioned. Maybe he was just getting the residual love from Hinata?

RawD: I am the dream weaver.

Shukido-chan: Thanks for reviewing. I love hearing from people. You know what they say, watch out for the quiet ones. I have actually read all of those stories, and I agree theyre all very good. Two Halves and Legend's of the Fox are probably my all time favorites.

Dragon Man 180: Gah. I don't know. Maybe. It seems fairly likely I'll write about that at some point.

Danny-171984: Who wouldn't want to skip work and spend the day with the one they love? The dictionary is your friend, as is the thesaurus (my favorite tool by far). Everybody could use a friend like Ino. That random girl who knows what you really want and isn't afraid to get it for you.

RLnaruhina: I'm certainly not against spelling it out for the reader, but frankly I don't feel like getting kicked off of You know what I mean? Besides, it would probably be awkward and painful for the reader. I will do my best to maintain at least this level of quality/insanity.


	20. Remembering

Remembering

Hinata sat down at the desk in their room, Naruto fast asleep behind her. She pulled the diary she had gotten from Kiba from a drawer, careful not to damage it in any way. Quietly she opened it to the front page, careful not to disturb the sleeping blond. A smile curled her lips as she remembered the night she was given the little book. With a warm feeling growing in her heart, she read what her friends had written for her.

Kiba had been given the book first since it was his present. She smiled as she read what her old teammate had written.

It's amazing how much you've grown since we first graduated from the academy. I remember how quiet and timid you used to be. I loved how you were then and I love how you are now, but it sure is easier to talk to you now. I think we know who's responsible for that, don't we? Naruto is a great guy and I respect him a lot, but don't ever tell him I said that. Judging by the way Neji is glaring at me it must be his turn to write in the book. I think I'll pass it over before he hurts me. Oh yeah, Akamaru says you smell nice.

-Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru

So my little cousin is twenty. Years ago if someone had told me you would actually live this long I would have laughed. I'm glad that I was clearly an idiot back then. Now, nothing makes me happier than seeing you smile. I never thanked you for your forgiveness, so I'm doing it now. Thank you for accepting me after I treated you so poorly for so long. I was an idiot who couldn't see that you had nothing to do with my problems. You were just the same sweet girl that just wanted everyone else to be happy that you are now. Live long. Keep safe. Stay happy.

-Hyuuga Neji

It really did amaze her how much Neji had changed since their genin days. He may have changed even more than herself, she mused. She returned to reading her friends comments, progressing onto Tenten's comments.

I can't believe how sweet Naruto is. I never would have guessed that he would grow up so well. I can't say the same for you though. I always knew you would turn out great. Thanks for proving me right on that one. I'm really going to have to ask Naruto where he got you that dress. It's so beautiful. Though I know I wouldn't look as good in it as you do. Did you notice something odd tonight? Your cousin was actually looking at me and smiling. I think he's finally taking the hint. It's about time too. I miss you. We should spend more time together. We all should. Take good care of yourself alright?

-Tenten

Tenten was right. Neji had been looking at her that night, and had actually asked her out after the party. Hinata giggled at the memory. The two were happily married now, and had two kids. She made it a point to go see how they were doing tomorrow. Her eyes rolled involuntarily as she moved on to Chouji's message.

Are you feeling all right? You look a bit thin. If you need any help with any of the recipes in that book I'll be glad to lend a hand. That's my favorite cookbook so I know how to make all of the dishes. You've always been a good friend to me Hinata. You would always listen when I had to vent. It's something I appreciate more than you can ever know. You're a special girl. Make sure Naruto realizes how lucky he is to have you.

-Akimichi Chouji

She had no doubt that Naruto appreciated her. He always told her that he loved her, and even if he didn't, it was apparent in everything he did. From the way he smiled at her to the way he said her name, everything about him exuded love for her. She couldn't help but feel that she was the lucky one in the relationship, not Naruto. When Chouji had finished writing he had passed it off to his best friend Shikamaru, and, as with everything Shikamaru does, his message was a little odd.

Normally I would say that this is too troublesome to bother with, but for you I think it's worth it. I appreciate you. You're not nearly as pushy and loud as the other girls. It's amazing to me. I guess that's just the way you are. I'll never understand what you see in that big blond idiot, but I wish you all the best. If I can say one thing for Naruto, it's that he will never let anyone close to him get hurt, and no one is closer to him than you are. Uh oh. Temari looks pissed. I'm going to run away before she loses it.

-Nara Shikamaru

Temari had caught him that night, but it wasn't for a beating like Shikamaru had thought. Instead she had pinned him against the wall and given him a rather juicy kiss. It's hard to stun Konoha's resident shadow master, but that night he was speechless. It still amazed Hinata that the he and Temari had gotten together. They had always seemed at odds with each other, but in the end she guessed it made sense. For two people who were so intent on being superior to the other it was only logical that they would want to be closer so that they could prove it. Gaara had taken the book next.

I will be writing for my siblings as well as myself. They decided that they didn't know you well enough to really put anything meaningful in this. I will begin with a thank you. I have never seen Naruto as happy as he is with you. As he is my best friend his happiness means everything too me, and since your happiness is the same as his I will protect your happiness with everything that I am. Must be nice to have two jinchuuriki as bodyguards eh? Now I would like to recite a poem from my village. Thank you for your patience

Sand, sand, sand, in a sack

Sand, sand, sand in my crack

It itches

It burns

It's down right unpleasant

I hate this

I loathe this

I feel like a vagrant

I thank you again for your patience. Just so you know, that poem's not actually from my village. Please take care of Naruto, and come visit us in the sand whenever you can.

-Gaara, Temari, and Kankurou

Nothing surprised Hinata more than the change Gaara had undergone since their first chuunin exam. He had gone from a sadistic killer to an out and out odd ball. His sense of humor was the strangest thing she had ever heard. Gaara had become almost like a brother to her since then. He was always sending letters asking them to visit. They complied when they could but it was difficult getting Tsunade to run the village while they were away. She always said that she had retired for a reason. Fortunately, Naruto's status as her little brother got her to agree to it far more often than she would have otherwise. Hinata grimaced as she began to read what Lee had written. It was almost as if the words were shouting at her. Only Lee could make writing loud.

Fair maiden! I congratulate you on the anniversary of your birth! You are truly a beautiful flower that the whole village can be proud of! The fire of youth burns as strongly in you as in anyone else I have ever met! I can do little but praise Naruto for marrying such an amazing woman! May everything in your life turn out perfectly. If you ever need assistance feel free to ask me or my dear sensei Gai. Gai is a truly phenomenal man. Did you know that he……

(His ink line slid off the page when Sakura had punched him to keep him from ranting on about his sensei. He took the hint as well as someone like him could.)

-Rock Lee

After he had signed, Sakura had taken the book from him.

Sorry about that Hinata. You know how he gets sometimes. I try to control him but he is Konoha's 'Proud Green Beast'. Anyways. You look amazing. I know I've said it already tonight, but it bears repeating. You really must be a miracle worker. I have no idea how you made Naruto so well behaved but I would love some help with Lee if you wouldn't mind. You are a truly phenomenal girl. All the way back to our days in the academy you fought against what everyone told you that you were. Now look at you. You're an amazing shinobi with the man of your dreams at your side. You've earned everything you have and more. Do me a favor and keep that dobe out of trouble. He may be strong, but he'll never be quite right in the head. I'm just kidding. I love you guys so much. Tell me though, when are you going to have kids? I just know that they would look so cute. Get to work cutey.

-Haruno Sakura

Sakura's suspicions were confirmed when little Natsuki had been born. She was the mid-wife for the birthing and began swooning over the baby girl as soon as she was clean. She kept saying that Natsuki's light blue hair was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Casually, she warned Naruto that all of the boys would be knocking down their door to get to her. Naruto, in turn, showed her his 'daughter protection rasengan'. It seemed that the village boys were going to have some trouble getting by this particular dad. Shino was next on the page. The note from her permanently solemn teammate meant a lot to her.

Dear Hinata. Words escape me as to how express how proud of you I am. You've come so far since our days as a team. I've always admired your determination. You never gave up, and look where it got you. You've got everything you'll ever need out of life, and none of us will ever let it be taken away from you. We are a family, and we probably love you most of all. You are everything that we wish we could be. I know that our treating you like a little sister bothers you, but you'll have to forgive our selfishness. None of us would be able to stand it if you got hurt, so please just let us be selfish. Always keep your chin up. When you are happy we are happy.

-Aburame Shino

A tear rolled down her cheek as she finished reading Shino's message. It meant so much to her to know how much they all cared for her. One last message remained on the page. This one from the ever so forward blond named Ino.

You two are the cutest couple I have ever seen! I need pictures of you and him together pronto. That's an order soldier. I hope you like my present. I know Naruto liked it because of the look on his face when you opened it. It was really hard to figure out what size to get you. If it doesn't fit just tell me and we'll go get you another one. It will be like a girl's night out. Actually, we should do that anyways. We'll have so much fun. Anyways, I'm sure you'll put that one to good use. Don't tease Naruto too much ok? I doubt his heart would be able to take it. Call me!

-Yamanaka Ino

She had taken Ino up on her offer, and it had been fun. It was certainly not something she would do all the time though. She would leave that to the people like Ino. The negligee had certainly done its job, if Naruto's face that night had been any indication. Remembering why she had pulled the diary out in the first place, Hinata set about writing her latest entry.

Dear Diary,

Today we went out and got Natsuki a haircut and some new clothes. Her new outfit is absolutely adorable. The pants go down to the middle of her shins and are black except for a pink lotus flower on the front above the right leg. The shirt we got her amazes me. It's light blue in color, almost the same as her hair, and has a silver fox on the front (I doubt she even knows the significance of it. She'll figure it out eventually though. She's a smart girl.) She was always telling me how beautiful the butterfly hairclips Shino got me for my twentieth birthday are so we went out and found her a pair similar to mine. She is always running around barefoot. In fact, the only time we can get her to wear shoes is when she's training. Her new haircut is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Her hair is now about shoulder length, and it waves around in the wind when she runs. Naruto says she reminds him of me when I was young. He's always telling me that whenever he looks at her he thinks about the sky, that her eyes are like clouds and her hair is the same blue as the sky on a sunny day. I think I see it too. She is positively angelic. I don't think we could ever ask for a better daughter. Naruto told me that she used Kyuubi chakra while she was sparring with him the other day. Apparently, she doesn't know how she did it though. It's still awfully impressive that she can use it so young though; Naruto wasn't even able to use it until he was twelve. Naruto is glad that she didn't end up with the whisker marks on her face like he did. He thinks it just wouldn't look good on a little girl. I'm not so sure. I think it might be cute. Judging by the hand on my shoulder Naruto is awake. He wants me to come to bed. I'll save the rest for later.

Hinata closed the book, running her fingers over the word 'forever' on the cover before putting it away. As soon as the diary was safe in its drawer Naruto swept her up in his arms. Gently he leaned down and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Hey there beautiful."

A/N: People asked for it so they got it. Well one person asked for what they wrote in the book but a bunch of people asked more about Natsuki. I hope this clears it all up for you. If not…. Well… Ill have to come up with more stuff about her to say I guess.

Hopeless-flame: Yeah. They're the couple that, if they acted like that in public, everyone would hate. You know Hinata would never let that happen though. All guys are perverts (myself included) some of us just hide it better. What's the point of hiding it with your wife though? Darn right she can fight. She's a spunky little one.

Danny-171984: It's spelled unstoppable but your word is awful fun. I hope this description is good enough for you. I've kind of got her as a light blue-haired Hanabi I think. She'll continue to show up approximately whenever I feel like it. Look forward to it. Haha

TigerWolf (): Welcome to the gang. I'm glad that I managed to freak you out some with that chapter. That was certainly the point. Thanks for the compliment. Hope this chapter cleared up what Natsuki looks like for you. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Dragon Man 180: Natsuki has no reason to call Kyuubi names. She inherited the power without the creepy demon voice in her head, and since she cant talk to him in Naruto's head….. Well you see. Naruto is such a fun dad. Modeled after my own to a point. I must say that despite my parents being divorced I had a good childhood (until middle school but that's another story).

Lunarangel (): Nah. I answer every review. No matter how long or short it is. As for the morning peacock, well, I cant really account for Gai's particular brand of craziness. It is his technique after all. I have no idea if there will be more clones. Maybe. Laughter is the basis of a good relationship. At least anyone I'm involved in. Don't date me if you don't think I'm funny. It will be painful for the both of us. Lol. Natsuki didn't know about her Kyuubi powers when she used them so it wasn't really her fooling Naruto. She just kind of spewed it out at random. She'll gain more access as we go along I'm sure.

RawD: Yep, she's the perfect little ninja girl. She's got a great parental combination so how could she not be? She might need to work on her manners some though. : )( :


	21. A Much Needed Vacation

A/N: Natsuki equals not born in this chapter. They didn't ditch their daughter at home or anything like that. I keep up my amazing pace of over 21 chapters in 16 days. Who else gives you as much Naruto loving as the raging hobo?

A Much Needed Vacation

"Naruto! Hinata! What are you two doing here?"

"Um, you asked us to come Gaara."

The Kazekage's eyes went wide for a moment before he tried to cover up his mistake.

"Yes, of course I did. I was just messing with you. Welcome my friends."

Gaara reached his hand out and waited for Naruto to accept it. The instant they clasped hands, the red-haired man dissolved away into a pile of sand. As the couple stared at the pile with a look of amazement on their faces a voice came from behind them.

"Boo."

They promptly whirled around to face their friend who was laughing so hard he had to brace himself on his knees. The pair from Konoha exchanged glances as if to ask the other if they thought it was as funny as Gaara clearly did. Naruto spoke up.

"You're a very strange guy Gaara."

Still laughing heartily, he raised his eyes to look at his friends.

"You should have seen the look on your faces. Priceless!"

Suddenly, an idea struck jade-eyed wannabe comedian.

"Oh, I know. I'll show you."

Without waiting for them to respond he made a pair of clones in the image of a stunned Naruto and Hinata. There were some problems with the clones though. Apparently Gaara's laughing fit was keeping him from concentrating enough to make them perfect.

"Gaara, we've gone over this before. I don't have any horns. Not to mention that Hinata does, in fact, have a right arm and isn't quite seven feet tall."

Finally gaining control over his laughter, the red-haired man glanced over at his handiwork. What he saw drove him over the edge again. He dropped to the ground laughing. Growing mildly irritated, Naruto's right eye twitched. His annoyance didn't last long though; his friend's laughter was just too contagious. Hinata was quick to join in the fun as well. Slowly, their laughter faded and Gaara picked himself up off the ground.

"It is good to see you again my friends. Thank you for coming."

"It's good to see you too Gaara. Can I ask you a question though? Why on earth do you keep giving me horns?"

A shrug of the shoulders was all the response Naruto received.

"You look kind of cute with horns Naruto-kun." Hinata said while giggling.

Always needing to have the last word Naruto added his bit.

"Oh really? I can talk to the fox about having some installed if you want."

"You do and I'm breaking them off with my bare hands." She retorted with a dangerous lilt in her voice.

Naruto let loose a small 'Eep' but was silenced by his wife's lips before he could add anything else. Gaara stood off to the side with a lopsided smirk.

"If you two lovebirds are quite through I'll show you where you'll be staying."

They broke their kiss and Hinata blushed deeply.

"Gomen."

Naruto wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't apologize to him. He deserves it for that sand clone trick. Besides, he's probably just jealous. When are you going to find a girl Gaara?"

Waving off the comment with his hand, the sand shinobi turned and beckoned the pair to follow.

"I don't have time for women right now, some day perhaps. Now let's go. I have a room prepared for you in my home."

"Thank you Gaara. We appreciate your hospitality." Hinata said with her quiet voice.

"No thanks is needed. I am a bit miffed at not having been invited to the fight with Akatsuki. I would have liked a piece of them." He replied, a tinge of anger leaking into his voice.

Naruto rolled his eyes in an exasperated fashion.

"Sorry. If there had been any way for you to get there on time I would have told you. We didn't know when they were coming though, and you couldn't abandon your country and come wait for them."

A sigh.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Gaara didn't allow any time for a response before he spoke again, this time in front of his home.

"Ah, here we are. Come in and I'll show you your room. You can drop off your things."

Naruto and Hinata both stared wide-eyed at what they saw.

"Let me guess, you built this yourself?"

The Kazekage nodded, pride obvious on his face as he gazed at his house that was made completely of sand.

"Don't you think you could have picked a better door knocker than Shukaku's face?"

"Why do you ask?" He inquired in a puzzled tone.

"Well, it's just that it's a little creepy. Having a demon for your door knocker that is."

He shrugged as he reached for the door.

"It does its job."

His comment earned an exasperated sigh from Naruto as he followed him into the house. Gaara led them to their room on the second story of his house. They were more than pleased to find that the furniture in it was not made out of sand. The idea of a sand mattress didn't appeal to either one of them, especially Hinata. After placing their bags in the room they went downstairs wear their host was waiting. Gaara informed him that he was going to be taking them out for dinner so that they could sample the local cuisine. They agreed even though Naruto whined a little about wanting ramen. His bellyaching was quickly quieted by a glare from his wife, who was always eager to try new foods.

After a short walk, they arrived at the restaurant. The sign out front read "The Garden". It was soon apparent why it was called that when they entered. The room was positively filled with flowers. Everything from lotus to daisies covered the banisters and tables, and even a small island in the center of the room. The smell alone was enough to make Hinata swoon. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. The hostess came and Naruto took Hinata by the arm as they were led to their table. In the middle of their table was a vase full of lilacs, which provided a pleasant aroma. Their server came quickly and took their order. Gaara gave her more than his order though. He created a small flower out of sand that he placed lightly in her hand. The girl blushed deeply as she walked away at the attention from the man she knew to be the Kazekage. Naruto gawked openly at his friend.

"I thought you said you had no time for women."

Gaara grinned knowingly as he looked at his friend.

"I have no time for a relationship my friend. That doesn't mean I cant spare some time for flirting."

The blond laughed openly at his friend's statement.

"Just using them and throwing them away? That's not cool."

Stunned, Gaara waved his arms in front of him, trying to impress upon them that they had the wrong idea.

"No! Of course not. It doesn't move beyond flirting. They seem to enjoy it and so do I. What's the harm in that?"

Hinata stepped in to help her friend out of his predicament.

"There isn't any. He knew what you meant. He's just being a jerk."

"Yeah yeah. I know Gaara isn't like that. It's just fun to make him squirm."

A new smirk plastered on his face, the red-haired man turned to his friend.

"I think we now know why you always end up with horns in my models of you."

Laughter erupted from the three of them, though Naruto's covered Hinata up completely and mostly drowned out Gaara. The bearer of the ichbi (one tail) marveled at how little his friend had changed as he aged.

Soon, their meals arrived and were eaten slowly as they talked. Naruto was surprised at just how much he had enjoyed his meal, and vowed to pick up a cookbook for Hinata while they were here. After they were done Gaara paid for their meals, despite Naruto's insistence that he pay for Hinata and himself, and left for home. After some light conversation at the dinner table they decided that it was time to go to sleep. They had been traveling all day to get to the sand after all.

"Thank you Gaara. We had a wonderful time." Hinata said as she leaned on her husband's arm.

A mischievous twinkle flashed in his Gaara's jade eyes that was reminiscent of a small child.

"Just wait 'til tomorrow."

A/N: More fun with Gaara and his oh so odd sense of humor. Damn I love Gaara. He's just so fun.

Danny-171984: Glad you liked the diary entries. I don't remember who you have to thank for getting me to do that. Nonengel I think. Gaara the comedian. So much fun. One of my best? Awesome. Thanks a lot. Natsuki is uber cute. How could you not love a midget Hinata? I'll update fast as long as I can. I probably won't be able to once school starts. You know how it goes. Then again you wont have as much time to devote to reading fan faction so it all works out.

Shikashikanaranara: your name is the biggest pain to type in the world. Welcome to the gang though. Im always happy to have more fans

Dragon Man 180: I see where you're coming from, but she is only 5. How many 5 year olds hate things. Besides they haven't really told her about Kyuubi yet. I'm glad I managed to keep people how you think they would be. It's important to me that I stick with what I'm given. It's nice that I can do whatever I want with Gaara though.

Raziel Tepes: And thank you as always.

Nonengel: Cute has its place. I try to mix it up. I really loved writing their father/daughter interaction though. It was fun.


	22. Appreciation

A/N: You have nonengel to thank for this chapter. He (I was dead wrong about the gender. Sorry.) wanted to hear more about their stay with Gaara, so here it is. Just more proof that I listen to what you people have to say. This also means that if you suggest something there's a decent chance I'll write it.

Appreciation

Groggily, Hinata woke up from one of the best nights of sleep she had ever had. She opened her eyes to see her husband, her arm lazily draped over his chest.

"Morning Naruto-kun."

As if on cue, the blond stretched his arms out to his sides. One was slightly restricted by the small woman on top of it, but that hardly seemed a problem. He slowly retracted his arms, pulling his pale-eyed wife on top of him in the process.

"Mmm. Morning Starshine." He murmured, kissing her lightly for emphasis. "Are you ready for whatever Gaara has planned for us today?"

Hinata rolled her eyes slightly.

"I don't think it's possible to be ready for anything Gaara has planned."

"No, I suppose it's not." He answered with a chuckle. "Well then, would you like to shower first, or should I?"

The blue-haired girl sat up and patted the blond on the leg.

"I'll go first. It will give you a chance to wake up some more."

Naruto grunted in reply as he closed his eyes again, earning a smirk from his lovely wife. Quickly she showered and emerged, wrapped in a towel.

"Your turn Naruto-kun."

The blond man didn't stir. Apparently he had fallen back asleep. Quietly she walked over to where he lay and bent down until she was face to face with him. She then proceeded to grab his cheeks in her hands and kiss him awake. Naruto was certainly unopposed to the use of this particular alarm clock. Now wide-awake the sixth Hokage of Konoha hopped in the shower. He exited long before the water had any chance to get cold. Hinata questioned him on how he could possibly take a shower that quickly. He was quick to attribute it to his 'mad Hokage skills'.

Soon they went downstairs to find Gaara waiting for them at the kitchen table, a friendly grin upturning his mouth.

"How are you my friends? I trust that you slept well."

Naruto took a seat next to his red-haired friend and pulled Hinata onto his lap.

"Sure did. How could I not sleep well with this little vixen by my side?"

Crimson tainted Hinata's pale cheeks. She was used to Naruto complimenting her by now, but not in front of others. For his part Gaara just nodded in agreement.

"So what have you got planned for us today?"

Standing up from his seat, the holder of the ichbi winked at his friends.

"I think it would be better if I showed you. Now quickly eat some breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us."

Complying with his request, the pair began to eat the breakfasts that were set before them. After they finished Gaara led them out the door. He promptly made a couple of clouds of sand and bid them to stand on them.

"We have a long way to go. This will make things go quicker."

Once they were standing on the sand they lifted off the ground.

"I figured that I would give you a tour of the village first."

And so they began. Sailing over the roofs of the various shops and home, Gaara pointing things out every now and then. Naruto quickly grew tired of simply standing atop his sand platform and began to use chakra to stick to the bottom. This created a very interesting sight for those he was flying above. His blond hair waved in the wind as they traveled, creating an almost majestic image.

After about an hour they left the village. Gaara had joined the clouds they were traveling on, and Naruto was sitting with his arms around Hinata. Silently, they flew towards a mountain range off in the distance. By the time they reached their destination the sun was high in the sky. Slowly they descended into a valley in the mountains.

"So Gaara, what is it you brought us here to show us?"

The emerald-eyed man gestured toward the surrounding cliff faces. The pair nearly fell over when they saw what they were being directed to look at. Carved into the rocks was the most intricate mural they had ever seen. It featured all of their friends from Konoha and the sand siblings. They ringed the area with their arms around each other's shoulders. They each looked exactly as they do in real life. Shino had his glasses on. Kankurou had his puppets behind him. Lee was even giving his 'nice guy pose'. And standing behind Naruto in the center of the line was the Kyuubi, tails waving ferociously. The work was finished with a transitioning landscape. The left side represented a desert, but by the time the right side was reached it had changed into a thick forest. Above the work were the words "For those who strived to know who I really am."

"I made this so that I could see you whenever I wanted to. It's also a tribute to what you all have done for me."

Hinata placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's beautiful Gaara. I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything. It just means everything to me that you are my friends, and that you are here to see this. Really, thank you for coming."

She squeezed his shoulder lightly before embracing him lovingly.

"Of course we came. We wouldn't miss this for the world."

Walking over, Naruto wrapped a chummy arm around his friend.

"She's right Gaara. You're our friend and anytime you need us we'll be here. I have to thank you too though."

Puzzled, he glanced at his friend.

"For what?"

"You didn't give me horns in this one."

A/N: End Gaara arc. My writing might slow for a little bit. Ive got some stuff I need to do. I should still manage to post more often than most people. It just wont be every night. I'm sure you understand. By the way, there will be a Gaara fight scene some time soon. That is all I'm going to tell you. Hahahaah.

RawD: Hell yeah. Gaara is a nut job. I love him. He gives him horns because I think its funny. If you want a more hidden joke I guess it could be about the demon in Naruto (I know kyuubi doesn't have horns but demons in general do) or it could be Gaara's comment on his early relationship with Naruto, or even just a comment on Naruto's being a prankster. I think it's mostly subliminal with Gaara though. In the end its just a joke.

Hopeless-flame: You know they all love Hinata. Gaara is a nut. Natsuki will appear every time I think of something to write about with her. Im fairly certain she will always be interacting with her parents in some way though, or at least their friends. Don't worry, more will come. Gaara is a goof ball for this one. I'm just extrapolating that this is how he might end up now that he can show his emotions. It seems I've got a Gaara lover on my hands. I hope you like how I represent him.

Dragon Man 180: I'm sure Natsuki and Gaara will have an awesome relationship. Their characters are just too fun to not connect them. Gaara's flirting is just part of the release of his emotions that he has been developing.

Raziel Tepes: The horns he adds to Naruto aren't on purpose. I know it's kind of hard to tell that. Something in Gaara's subconscious is making him add those when he doesn't mean to. I think the tail would be taking it a bit far. I shall miss your reviews for whatever reason you will be gone for a month. Look forward to some reading when you get back.

Danny-171984: Consider his laughing so hard to be the release of all the pent up emotions from the early years of his life. Now that he's free to act how he wants he's living it up to the fullest. Meh. I don't care about the use of the term midget. I'm not the most politically correct person around. Maybe I'll use chibi in place of it maybe I wont. I might not ever have a need for it. Gaara the casanova rocks and you know it. All the ladies dig him and his dark good looks. Hahaha

Nonengel: There you go. More Gaara arc. He was significantly less goofy in this one but I didn't feel he had a reason to be goofy here. It was an emotional thing for him. Don't worry though. He'll be back, probably to interact with Natsuki.

Rogue Destiny (): I see what you mean. Romance doesn't have to be lovely dovey. Im glad you enjoyed it despite Sasuke's untimely demise. As I said I didn't plan on bumping him off originally but I liked that last part way too much. I hope the rest of the story makes up for his absence. Just remember, when this hobo is a rockin don't come a knockin.


	23. Hope

A/N: Wow! 9 reviews for chapter 22. That's awesome. That's the new record. Oh yeah. Unless hell freezes over there will be no chapter Sunday night/Monday morning. Im taking the GRE at 8:30 Monday morning so I will be spending the day before doing some last minute preparations. Hopefully I will still put up a chapter tomorrow. Probably. Frankly this GRE stuff looks pretty easy. Like the SAT for weenies. Heh. Wish me luck anyways. This is my ticket to vet school after all.

Hope

This is it, the day that changed history. One of the most important events will occur, but like so many world altering events it will only be known by those who participated in it. This is the day when Uzumaki Naruto asked one Hyuuga Hinata to be his girlfriend.

It was almost six months after the incident in the woods. A half-year since she finally told him how she felt. It took him that long to figure out his own feelings for her. But now he had, and today he would tell her. It wasn't going to be easy though. For once he knew how she felt. This was the most nervous he had ever felt. He even knew that she loved him, but that didn't make it much easier. He had spent a lot of time with her over the past few months. What if that changed her opinion of him? What if she didn't love him anymore? He needed to know.

He had prepared spent the past few days preparing for this. He had asked Sakura for help. She was shocked he realized his shortcomings, but was more than willing to help. She had taken him out to get new clothes. Ones that were significantly less orange. It was pretty easy once Sakura threatened to tell Hinata about his perverted ninjutsu if he didn't stop refusing outfits. Even so, it still took a long time, but they still were enjoying it. They didn't get to spend as much time with each other since their promotions so it meant more when they did see one another. Sakura was having an absolute blast. It was one of her goals in life to finally get Naruto into something other than that 'orange eyesore', as she called it. Naruto emerged from the dressing room once more, modeling a pair of white khakis and a fitted black T-shirt. He seemed to like it, and Sakura marveled at how much he had matured. He never would have agreed to wear something like this when he was younger. She quickly deemed it to be appropriate for his purposes, and asked him what kind of flowers he would be bringing her. The stupefied look on his face was all the answer she required. Grabbing him by the arm, he paid for his clothes, and then she dragged him to the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Sakura was determined to keep him from screwing this one up. In fact, she was so determined that she was willing to ask Ino for help picking out flowers. Ino was ecstatic. She had no idea Naruto was planning something like this. Sure she had seen him and Hinata spending a pretty substantial amount of time together but she never figured that he would ever actually follow through with her. Quickly she set about coming up with a proper bouquet for the quiet girl. Eventually she decided on a ring of daisies around a center of lilacs. It was nothing too fancy since, while it was a big occasion, it would be odd to show up with an expensive arrangement. Besides, it kind of matched her eyes. Naruto left, saying that he would come pick up the flowers in a couple days, just before he was going to go find Hinata.

As they left, Sakura was trying to coach him on how he should go about asking her out. Naruto refused her help this time though. He said that he wanted to do this his own way. She rolled her eyes but she knew what he meant. This was personal, and had to done completely honestly. Hinata would probably know if he was coached through it anyways.

And so the day came. Sakura came over to help him get ready. She laughed at the various mishaps he encountered but was very helpful when she needed to be. She styled Naruto's hair to look, in her words, 'messy neat.' What this essentially meant was that it looked exactly as it normally did, but this time it had the Sakura seal of approval. Naruto stood, fidgeting nervously, as the pink-haired girl gave him a final once over before he was going to leave.

"Don't worry Naruto. I know she'll say yes."

He lowered his head to look at his hands as he wrung them together.

"I sure hope so. I hope spending time with me didn't change how she feels."

She gave an exasperated sigh.

"Naruto, do you have any idea how long she's loved you?"

He just shook his head.

"Since our days in the academy and maybe longer. Trust me, she hasn't found out anything new about you just because you actually talk to her now. For some reason she enjoys your hyperactive, dimwitted self, and nothing short of you becoming a complete ass is going to change that."

She knew she was lying even as she said the words. She knew exactly why Hinata loved Naruto. He was, quite simply, one of the sweetest guys on the planet, and he would do anything for the people he cared about. She wasn't about to tell him that though. He looked up from his hands, a new grin coating his face.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

His gratitude earned a loving smile from one of his best friends.

"No problem. Now go get her."

After a quick salute he was out the door.

The village was large. He really should have planned this better. Where the hell was she? He had to think. Where does she normally go? He checked all of her normal hangouts, the area where her team used to train, the duck pond, even the spot in the woods that only they knew about it. She wasn't anywhere to be found. That left only one place she could be, the Hyuuga compound. To say that this was less than ideal was a bit of an understatement. No one was allowed in, not unless they were expected. He briefly considered sneaking into the compound, but he wanted to make a good impression. He was fairly sure they might be bothered by his breaking in, so he did took the only option left to him. He asked one of the guards to tell Hinata that she had a visitor, but not to tell her who it was. The guard happened to be one that Naruto had met before, and he had developed a liking for the blond boy. With a smile he went to get her. Naruto hid. It was all part of his plan.

Before too long the blue-haired girl appeared at the gates, questioning the guard as to who was summoning her. He just lied and said that he didn't know the person. Naruto smiled when he heard that. It was nice to have some help in his endeavor.

Slowly she emerged from the gates, searching for the person that she was told was waiting for her. No one was there. Puzzled, she turned around to walk back in and ask the guard about it, only to come face to face with Naruto as he hung upside down from a tree branch. His entrance startled her enough to cause her to jump backwards, tripping over her own feet in the process. In a flash he was on the ground, catching her before she finished her descent. Gently, he placed her back on her feet.

"Sorry about that Hinata. I didn't mean to scare you."

Still blushing from the close contact she had just had with him, she stared at her feet.

"It's ok Naruto-kun. I know you didn't mean to."

Glancing around, Naruto saw entirely too many people around for his liking.

"Would you like to go for a walk with me? I've got something I need to ask you."

Confused, but pleased at the same time, Hinata daintily nodded her head. Naruto made it a point to stay directly at her side as they proceeded into less populated areas. Finally, they reached a spot with no one else around. Suddenly, Hinata spoke up, surprising the both of them.

"Ano..you said you had a question for me?"

He started.

"Er, um, yeah."

Unsteadily, he turned to look her in the eye. Internally he wondered if it was this hard for her when she told him how she felt. He hoped it wasn't. He wouldn't wish this degree of nervousness on anyone. Deliberately, he began to remove the flowers from where he had them hidden. With a shaking hand he held them in front of him.

"Hinata, I was wondering… If you would… um…. Maybe like to go out with me sometime. You know….. You don't have to if you want to." He hurriedly said as he finished.

No reply. Just a single tear that silently streamed down her face towards a smile formed by trembling lips. He had no idea how to take this. No idea that is, until she gripped him in a fierce hug, barely giving him time to remove the flowers from between them. Timidly, he returned her embrace.

"I sure hope this means yes." He said with a slight chuckle

He felt her smile broaden as she nodded against his chest. And all was right with the world.

A/N: Boo Yah. The fateful day he finally asked her out. I hope it felt right to all of you. I enjoyed writing it as I always do.

Raziel Tepes: I may or may not like putting in random excuses for Gaara to make Naruto sculptures. I laugh at my own jokes. I feel no pity for you for leaving on holiday. Enjoy yourself.

Aloi-chan: Welcome to the gang. I'm glad you enjoy it. Who knew a 20 year-old male could write fluff? Lol. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Dragon Man 180: That would indeed be funny if he made Lee's teeth like that. Funny and ridiculously creepy. Now now, Natsuki is a good little girl. She listens to her parents (most of the time) and I'm afraid she's not going to be a prankster of any kind. She's the perfect little angel child dontcha know?

Danny-171984: hahaha. He paid a little extra attention to detail on this carving. Maybe I'll have more Gaara pranks later. Who knows what my messed up head will come up with?

Nonengel: Sorry about the gender thing. I fixed it for you. No more confusing the other people. I was a little thrown off by the 'engel' in your name. Angels are a typically female thing. Even if they are in german. I guess you're more of a Rammstein engel though. I liked the balance too. Gaara isn't all nut job and jokes. He knows what he needs from the world and his friends are a big part of it.

RLnaruhina: Go! Gaara! Go! I've got the mad hokage skills. Anyone that can shower in under 3 minutes has them. Either that or they smell like rancid meat. I'm pretty sure I'm of the former.

Locic: Welcome to the gang. I take great pride in my end lines (though some of them aren't all that good I admit. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Hopeless-flame: You knew the horn comment was coming right? There had to be something about horns. It's the running joke after all. Darn right a Gaara fight scene. It will come up sometime soon. Probably early next week. Feel the excitement.

Taeron: Welcome to the gang. Well, the thing about that is they never say if it's a ninjutsu or not. So it could well just be them moving super fast. Like when the Sandaime dismisses the anbu in episode one to go look for Naruto. Sure there was no smoke. But who knows? Let it slide because it doesn't really matter. Lol. Maybe someone carried him in? Keep reading. Keep loving.

Lunarangel (): Gaara didn't really forget that he had invited him. It was all part of his plan to get them off guard. Oh, and she was just bugging him about the horns. She doesn't really think they're cute. I still love reading these comments. Even with how long and disjointed they are. Keep em up.


	24. Fear

A/N: Something is very wrong. Yet another story has been written where Hinata dies. I guess I understand it in a way. I don't think anyone dislikes her, and most people develop some sort of connection to her. There becomes an overwhelming sense of pity for her. People want the best for her because they hate to see her how she is. It was a good story though and a good author. No hard feelings Manatheron. You're still one of the best.

Fear

Faith. He knew he had to have it. He knew he had to believe that she would return. He always hated doing it, but he knew he had to send her on missions. There could be no favorites among his shinobi, even though everyone would have understood. She wouldn't let him though. She demanded that he treat her exactly like everyone else. He grudgingly agreed.

And so it had come about. He had sent her on one of the dangerous missions that only anbu are qualified to take. She had insisted that she take this one. It seems that she knew the person the mission called for the assassination of, and she had a grudge to settle with him. He would always let her do whatever she wanted. He knew she could handle herself. That didn't mean he had to like it though.

He sat with his head in his hands. She was supposed to return tonight. There had been no word from her in the week she had been gone. Then again, there wasn't supposed to be. This mission was simply too sensitive to risk any messages getting intercepted. A slow song played on the small stereo he kept in his living room.

Black lace and white velvet

Take my hand

And tell me all about it

Run with me through the park

Show me your favorite tree

Show me your quiet spot

Where you could just let things be

The spot no one else could see

Tell me about the times you cried

When the tears fell just like rain

I'll dry your eyes

Try to chase away the pain

I want to see you smile again

He almost couldn't believe that she had stayed with him this long. He knew he wasn't perfect. He had never thought he was. He knew she wasn't perfect either, but as far as he was concerned she might as well be. She was strong, beautiful, kind, and far smarter than he would ever be. Best of all, she thought he was funny. In truth, he felt that she would make a better Hokage than he would, but he would never put her in that great of danger. The song continued to play in the background, with the singer softly laying his heart out over the steady beat of the guitar.

Dance with me in the moonlight

In your eyes the stars shine bright

Wrap your arms around me and say your happy

Tell me this is the only place you want to be

You don't have to swear you love me

I already know

And that's why I'm lucky

The words rang true deep in Naruto's heart. He was amazingly lucky. He had somehow landed the leaf's most eligible bachelorette. Entirely too many people wanted to marry her just because she was the heiress to the Hyuuga clan. This wasn't the case for Naruto. He didn't need her title. He had his sights set on loftier goals. Of course, he probably wouldn't have reached them if she hadn't helped him that night in the woods. He never did figure out how she knew something was wrong. He didn't really care. All that mattered was that she did know, and that she did something about it. Gradually, the voice coming from the radio raised in intensity. He wasn't shouting, but there was a strong feeling of determination in his words.

The times you're with me

Are times I'll always have

No one can take them away from me

I'll fight for them

With all my strength

With all my will

And no one can take them away from me

He couldn't agree more. Now that he had her he was not going to let her go. She knew that, and she felt the same way. She had told him herself that now that she had her claws in him she was never going to take them out. He had just laughed and asked her if she would use those claws to scratch his back. He never wanted her to let go anyways. The look on her face at her response was priceless. It held a mix of laughter and seduction. It was so perfect that he fell in love with her all over again. That conversation had ended with a kiss, just like so many of their others. The song had changed tempo again. It had returned to its slower rhythm, but the intensity of the man's voice remained high until the last couple of lines. Slowly it spiraled down, the singer humming lightly in the background until it ended.

Black velvet and white lace

Encircle my mind

As we stare into space

You marvel at the stars

I wonder at your grace

I'm just thankful you're here with me

To share the summer breeze

And the autumn leaves

The winter's freeze

And the spring seeds

I don't know why you picked me

But I'm glad you did

If you didn't I don't know where I would be.

He knew exactly what the man meant. He had thought the same thing the night he asked Hinata to marry him. He thought the same thing even today. If she hadn't said yes he didn't have a clue what would have happened to him. He knew it wouldn't have been good though. She was his north star. The light in the sky that always led to where he needed to be. That was how he had come to call her Starshine.

It was rapidly approaching midnight, and he was growing more and more worried with every minute. He couldn't help it. She should have been back now. Maybe he should go looking for her. He knew it was a bad idea as soon as he thought of it. Most likely he wouldn't be able to find her, but even if he did if she was in trouble she would have dealt with it by then. He had confidence in her abilities. Besides, she would be upset if she got back and he wasn't here. Not only that, but she would be angry with him for underestimating her. She would come back. She always did. He knew this but he couldn't shake the worry from his head. It's only natural he figured.

Time kept rolling by and he found himself humming the song he heard earlier. He jumped up. He heard something. A creak at the door? Heart pounding, he rushed toward the front entrance. Wide eyed, he stared intently at the door for whomever it was to enter. Slowly, a muddy and weary Hinata emerged from behind the door. She had no time to react before he had raced forward and wrapped her in an iron grip.

"You're late." He breathed into hair.

"Sorry. Traffic sucked."

He let out a small laugh. He had found out Hinata had quite the quirky sense of humor once she opened up. He loved it. But then again, he loved everything about her. Suddenly he moved his grip to her shoulders and held her at arms length, checking for any wounds.

"Are you ok?"

With fatigue clearly noticeable in her voice she responded.

"I'm fine. I just need a hot bath and a back rub."

Tenderly he swept her up, cradling her back and behind her knees.

"Then a bath and a back rub you shall have." He said with a smile as he started to carry her up the stairs.

"Your're too good to me Naruto-kun."

A smirk crossed his face as he turned on the water for her bath.

"Actually, by my calculations I'm not nearly good enough."

Now stripped down to her underwear, she laced her arms around her kneeling husband.

"I'll be the judge of that Fox boy."

"You always were the smart one." He said as he swiveled his head around and placed his lips on hers.

Slowly, bubbles emerged as the water stirred up the solution he had poured in the tub. Once they reached a suitable level Hinata told Naruto to look away. After he averted his eyes, she finished undressing and submerged herself beneath the blanket of soapy orbs.

"Ok, you can look now."

"I'll never understand why you have me turn my head like that. It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

A shrug caused her shoulders to emerge from beneath their cover.

"A girl's got to have her secrets."

With a laugh he began to rub the tenseness out of her worn out muscles. Sighing with gratification, she closed her eyes and let her husband's strong hands do their work.

"Have I ever told you I love you Fox boy?"

Grinning slightly, he nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck.

"Yeah, but I never get sick of hearing it."

A/N: Hooray! I feel much better now. I had to counteract the whole Hinata dying thing from earlier. Gah! That tears at my heart. I hate it. By the way, the song from the beginning of the story is something I wrote my freshman year here, and developed with my band from sophomore year. Unfortunately, we broke up so you'll never hear it quite how it originally was, but hopefully you can hear it in your mind. And for the comment that has already come. Yes, I am advertising myself with that song. My story, my forum to display my work. Frankly I don't think it's one of my better songs. So really I don't know how much I'm advertising my skills with it.

Expired Doughnuts (): Welcome to the raging hobo reviewing gang. Glad you enjoyed their vacation with Gaara. He's fun to write. I fully intend to keep it up. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Aloi-chan: You better believe I do. Thanks for confirming that I kept them in character. I tried my hardest to make them seem normal for themselves. I update reallll quick. I think the only person who comes close is Desaix (who's got a great story going by the way.) but I'm the only one who has more chapters than the number of days since his story has been posted. At least I think I am. Maybe I'm wrong.

Nonengel: Hey if both were good that's all the better right? I tried to take the middle ground with Naruto's nervousness. Obviously he would be nervous, everyone is when they ask someone out, but he's the type of person that would just plow through it anyways. I agree entirely with you about the angel thing. I think I just got far to use to girls referring to themselves as angels or having angel in their names somewhere.

Dragon Man 180: Well, the fact is that I won't be making Natsuki a prankster. I have my image of her and I don't feel like changing it. Tricking her opponents is a different matter entirely. That's connected to intelligence in a fight, not her willingness to be mischievous. Neji's reaction will be easy. Hiashi I have no idea how I'm going to handle. I'm not going to go the nice guy Hiashi route, or the one where he's an ass and Naruto has to whup him. I'll have to find a middle ground.

Danny-171984: Judging by your reaction I handled the whole asking her out thing well. Good. It's easy to screw up. First date will probably be sometime. I'm just not sure when. I honestly believe that that's the best place to end the Gaara arc. I don't want to drag it out. The reaction to the mural is the most important part of it all.

Hopeless-flame: How could he not notice our little pale-eyed angel? Stay tuned for the fun with Gaara time.

Crystal Renee: Welcome welcome welcome! Yes, please keep reading and reviewing my humble tale. Keep reading. Keep loving.


	25. Ultimatum

A/N: A clarification. I read fanfics to be happy. I don't like tragedy in any aspect of entertainment. There will be none in my story probably. At least not major tragedy. I want everyone to leave with a smile on their face because I like making people happy. In the end that's somewhat selfish. I like making people happy because it makes me happy. I like being selfish.

Ultimatum

"Glad you could make it."

The red-haired young man who was spoken to smirked in response.

"As if I'd miss it. Can't let you have all the fun again, now can I?"

In a friendly manner the blond placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Of course not. Besides, everything is more fun with friends."

Suddenly, the jovial mood changed to one of intense seriousness.

"Where is the note you mentioned?"

Tentatively, Naruto pulled out a drawer from his desk and retrieved a piece of paper from within. Almost reluctantly he handed it to his friend from the sand. Slowly, Gaara began to read.

Greetings fellow jinchuuriki.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kurohai, and I am the real head of the Red Moon. I apologize for the false pretenses I set up before. They served a purpose though I feel no need to divulge it to you. I must say that I am surprised that you managed to defeat my minions. Nonetheless, I am quite pleased that you did. It means that you may provide a challenge for me. You see, we three are the only jinchuuriki left, thanks to my efforts of course. My demon brethren didn't deserve to be locked away in those weaklings anyways. Yours' will join me as well. I will see to that. I will meet you outside of Konoha in one month's time. This should give you time to inform the ichbi that I am coming. I wish to fight you both at once. That should make it more entertaining for me. I wouldn't want to come all that way and have you die easily. I will arrive at sundown on the thirteenth day of the next month. Be there on time or I will destroy Konoha. Now that I've got the traditional threat out of the way I will bid you adieu.

Love,

Kurohai

After finishing the final line Gaara looked up from the page, eyes wide with shock.

"Love?"

Naruto just shook his head in exasperation.

"Yeah, he's a little weird. I really hope he was just playing a joke. The rest of his note was kind of funny too."

The jade eyes of the Kazekage remained wide with bewilderment.

"I never thought that I would see a guy that makes me look sane."

Naruto placed a sympathetic arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Me either man. Me either."

At that moment Hinata walked in, a worried expression adorning her face. Timidly, she crossed the room before lacing her arms around her husband's waist and resting her cheek on his back.

"I don't want you to go." She whispered, a hitch clearly present in her voice.

Gently, the blond turned in his wife's grip, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"I know you don't, but I have to."

With tears beginning to form in her eyes, Hinata pressed her face into Naruto's chest as she gripped the fabric on the front of his shirt.

"I know."

Tenderly, he pulled her away from his chest, before lifting her chin so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Go home. I'll be there in a little bit. There's some stuff I need to discuss with Gaara."

She nodded slightly in agreement as she turned to walk out the door. Lovingly, and with a great amount of sadness at sending her away, he watched her leave. When the door clicked shut behind her he again turned to Gaara.

"What are we going to do about this?"

The grin that was gradually becoming the red-haired man's trademark leisurely crossed his face.

"Do you really need to ask? We will fight, and we will win."

A boisterous laugh gushed forth from his blond friend.

"You're right as usual. That bastard doesn't stand a chance. We are Kages, and we will protect our homes."

With that he extended his right hand, his arm bent so that his fingers pointed to the ceiling. With an exaggerated swing of his arm Gaara grabbed Naruto's hand. They gripped the other's hand tightly as they looked each other in the eye. In a quick jerking motion they disengaged their hands. A knowing smile passed between the two men. After a moment Naruto spoke up.

"Gaara, I have a favor to ask you."

An eyebrow raised slightly over an emerald eye.

"What is it?"

"I want you give me the same tattoo as you."

The offending eyebrow raised even higher.

"Are you sure? I used my sand to do this. It hurt quite a bit."

His comment earned another laugh from the blond.

"I'm not crazy like you. I want it on my arm not my forehead."

Ignoring the comment about his sanity, Gaara continued on.

"Even so it would still hurt."

"I'm a shinobi of the leaf Gaara. Pain is something I'm used to. Besides, we're brothers, and I want it to be obvious to everyone who see us."

The red-haired man just nodded.

"Now?"

Naruto nodded in the affirmative and took off his shirt, holding his arm out to his friend.

"Take a deep breath. When you exhale I'll be done."

With a determined expression on his face, he did as he was asked. In an instant Gaara went to work. His sand flew up and struck Naruto in the arm, causing his face to flinch slightly at the pain. In another instant it was over. The sand had beaten the kanji for love into Naruto's skin. Rapidly, the healing factor he gained from the Kyubi set in, and the bleeding stopped.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"Does Hinata know you were planning this?"

A mischievous grin spread across the blonds face.

"Not yet she doesn't. Could be interesting when she finds out."

Gaara's eyes rolled with his disbelief.

"You're a brave man Uzumaki Naruto."

"You just don't know her as well as I do."

The Kazekage's eyes closed and he sighed in acknowledgement of his defeat.

"You're probably right."

"Of course I am. Now let's head home. I have a beautiful girl waiting for me."

Without another word they exited his office and began the journey to Naruto's home. In a matter of minutes they arrived at the front door and entered. Hinata was waiting, asleep on the easy chair in their living room.

"Your room is up the stairs, first door on the right. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I need to get his little angel into bed."

With a nod and a smile Gaara headed up the stairs. Quietly, Naruto knelt beside his sleeping wife. A tender hand reached up and brushed against the girl's cheek. As the girl's eyes slowly opened a gentle smile formed on her lips.

"You're back." She murmured to the shirtless man before her.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open. It had only just occurred to her that he was shirtless, and that something was odd about him. To be more specific, something was odd about his arm.

"A tattoo?" she questioned in a loud whisper.

Leisurely he rubbed his fingers over the still tender markings.

"I had Gaara do it for me. It's the same as the one on his forehead. It symbolizes our connection as jinchuuriki and as brothers."

Noticing how gingerly he touched his arm, Hinata reached over, her hand aglow with faint green healing chakra.

"I just wish you would have told me. I would have healed it when he did it."

The pain now soothed, Naruto rubbed his hand firmly over the kanji.

"Alright, I'll tell you next time."

A faint fire flashed behind her pale eyes even as her smile broadened sweetly.

"There isn't going to be a next time Fox boy. Your tattooing days are over."

Naruto gave a prompt salute before grabbing his wife around her shoulders. His face was placed next to her ear.

"Yes ma'am."

A/N: There you go folks. It's coming. The fight scene you've all been waiting for. Gaara + Naruto vs. THE RED MOON! DUM DUM DUM.

Dragon Man 180: You know I'll find away. But until I do I'll stall it out a little. Not sure what Natsuki will call them. If she uses his names Tsunade will think it's cute because Natsuki is so adorable.

Danny-171984: Of course she is safe. I couldn't hurt Hinata. She's just too cute. As for my song, I don't like using other's work. The song is no more an advertisement than the poem I wrote for a previous chapter. Just because I happened to have a song already written that fit doesn't make it any different. As for the comments I made about it afterwards, I was just expressing some pride in my work. I'm a songwriter first and always, so lyrics are my heart. Ok, that's all on that. Yeah I had to have him turn around for that reason. Given how Hinata is a bit of a sex kitten with Naruto she probably wouldn't mind anyways. That's the way it goes ne?

Aloi-chan: Speed demon. That's me. I had to skip a day because of my GRE. I hope I didn't hurt your opinion of me. Glad you liked the song my lyrics mean a lot to me.

RawD: Heh. I enjoy toying with your minds a little bit. But again, as always, Hinata was safe. I hate it when she dies in stories so shes going to make it through mine. Everyone loves the bubble bath. Hinata in the buff? Sign me up.

F.I.R.: Welcome to the raging hobo gang. I'm glad youre enjoying it. Naruhina is the best as far as I'm concerned. There will be more to come, so you can look forward to it.

Shukido-chan: I know why they kill her. I just don't like it. That's quite the list of precious people they've picked off. His life is tragic enough though without adding on the death of more people. If anyone dies in my fic, which is kind of unlikely, it will be someone with relatively little importance, like Chouji. I don't dislike the big man I just don't care about him. Naruto reminds me of myself in a number of ways. Minus the ridiculed by everyone in life of course. But as far as personality goes…. So I prefer not to hurt myself. Sakura won't be dying. I don't have the hatred for her that you do. Read the manga. She cares about him. She just didn't always show it. You stayed up past your bedtime to read this? My email says you reviewed at 3:19 PM where the heck are you anyways? Much love to my loyal fan though.

Hopeless-flame: Yay! Another person liked my song. A songwriter's dream come true. Heeeere's Gaara! Fighting will come soon. I've got to work up to it of course.

Lunarangel (): GRE is complete. I think I did well. Thank you for your support. Too tired to respond to all of your beloved nuttiness, but I have read your review. Several times, at that, in order to get all of the meaning. Someday, maybe you will get to hear me sing that song. I certainly hope so. I'm glad you liked it. It means a lot to me.

Taeron: Hinata no die. She never die in raging hobo's crazy little world. She will live a long and happy life with the blond guy at her side. Berserker rage is fun though…… j/k

RLnaruhina: Damn right I love reviews. Yay song! Go song! Everyone loves you because you're so sexy. Gaara awesomeness is on the way my friend. Clouds of sand will wipe the earth clean of evil.


	26. Strategem

A/N: Forgot to mention last time. According my terrible translational abilities Kurohai (the baddies name, in case you forgot) means 'black ash'. Cool ne? My life is taking over a bit at the moment so updates will probably be a bit slower. In fact, next week I'm driving with my mother to Vermont because she's moving there for her work. So there will be a few days I don't update then simply because I wont have access to a computer. If I can drag along a laptop I'll see about writing in the car and hotel rooms so that when I do manage to it will be a big update. Sound good? Thought so. 10 reviews for last chapter. Another new record. Thank you all so much. I'm loving this.

Strategem

"So we have two weeks until he's supposed to be here?"

Naruto turned to his fellow jinchuuriki, an exicted grin across his lips.

"Yep. What do you want to do until he gets here?"

Gaara did not match his friend's smile, his face reverting, at least in part, to it's old somber state. To outsiders it would seem that he grasped the seriousness of the situation more than the blond did. He knew better though; Naruto simply dealth with the stress in a different way.

"I think that perhaps we should devise some sort of strategy. Something to utilize our combined powers better."

A light went off in the Hokage's head. One that Gaara could clearly see brightening his cerulean eyes.

"I know just who to talk to."

On the other side of town a man was laying on his back staring at the clouds. Suddenly, a chill ran up his spine. Slowly he closed his eyes and sighed lightly.

"This is going to be a long day."

As if on cue a swirl of sand appeared next to the prone shinobi. Quickly the sand dissipated, revealing the leaders of two of the strongest villages in the world.

"Yo Shikamaru, we've got a job for you." The blond man said in a near shout.

The volume earned a cringe from the mentioned man.

"Do you have to be so loud?"

Naruto just shrugged, allowing his question to fade into nothing. Noticing the absence of an answer, Konoha's resident genius propped himself up on his elbows.

"Alright, what's the job?"

"As you know, we've got a bit of a scuffle coming up."

Shikamaru nodded. Gaara picked up where his friend left off.

"We were hoping you could help us come up with ways to better coordinate our attacks."

"Will I have to move?" Questioned the man in a lazy drawl.

"Nah, we just need your brain. Are you in?"

Lazily he raised himself off the ground, his arms hanging loosely at his sides.

"I suppose so. It would be pretty troublesome if you were to die. Hinata and Temari would probably kill me if she found out I refused to help you anyways."

With a level of exhuberance that only he could demonstrate Naruto slapped his apathetic friend on the shoulder. Almost knocking him over in the process.

"That's the spirit. Let's get started." Naruto said as he began to walk away.

With a exasperated sigh Shikamaru followed.

Later that evening a mentally exhausted genius returned to his home. He opened the door only to be greeted a woman's face that sat below a mop of blond hair. She spoke.

"You're darn right I would have killed you if you hadn't helped them."

The tone of her voice caused him to wince. Then, like she always seemed to do, she surprised him. In a sensuous manner she snaked her arms around his neck, inching her face close to his.

"But since you did..."

Her voice trailed off as her lips met his. The world nearly fell apart as an almost excited expression crossed Shikamaru's face.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the village, a certain blue-eyed Hokage was just arriving at his front door, his red-haired friend following closely behind. Just like at Shikamaru's, a beautiful girl was waiting just inside the door, her lavender eyes holding all the love in the world while still expressing a great sense of worry.

"Hey there beautiful." Naruto said as he stepped in the door.

Her arms were crossed loosely across her stomach with her hands lightly gripping her elbows. Her head hung slightly causing her gaze to be directed at the floor.

"I don't want you to go."

Solemnly, he turned to the holder of the Ichbi.

"Gaara, can you give us a minute?"

With a slight nod, he walked past them and proceeded up the stairs to his room. As soon as Gaara was out of sight Hinata began to tremble slightly. In a step Naruto was in front of her, clutching her to his chest as he rested his chin on her head. Her shaking only seemed to grow worse with his touch.

"Naruto-kun, I'm scared. I don't want you to die."

Compassionately he raised his hand and gently stroked her hair.

"So am I Starshine. So am I. But I won't die. You don't need to worry about that. As long as you're here waiting for me, I'll always come back."

Slowly, her shuddering ceased, and she relaxed slightly in his arms. His hand continued its tender ministrations even as he began to lift her off the ground.

"Come on beautiful, let's go to bed." He whispered to her, adding a wink for emphasis.

Shaking her head, she pressed her face against his chest.

"You'll never change will you Fox boy?"

A/N: Fighting starts next chapter. Sorry to string you all along like this. I hope you like the suspense though. Just think, you'll be able to see what they planned.

Dragon Man 180: Kurohai is like Gaara on crack. Gotta love it. Hopefully I'll do a good job on the fight. I'm looking forward to it.

RawD: That's right. I'm 20 and senile. It's fun. Timeline jumping is a theme I stole from "legends of the fox". Hopefully, you like it and it's not too irritating. I can't wait for the fight either.

Aloi-chan: GRE is a standardized test used for getting in to grad schools. Kind of like the SAT is for getting in to college. Sorry that Kurohai didn't show up this chapter. Next time I promise. Also I just realized that you wrote one of the stories that caused my heart the most pain. The one about Naruto's sister. Made me so sad. I say grr to you for that one. Me no like sad. Oh well. Your other story that's in my favorites didn't make me sad.

Shukido-chan: Say no more. Good luck to you there. Well at least you don't hate Sakura. To be honest I just dont like death, so it wont happen. If death needs to happen OC's will probably make an appearance. I must admit that I liked Chouji all hopped up on the pills. He was actually cool there. I love long reviews, and I like being buttered up with compliments, so feel free to keep both up.

RLnaruhina: There is nothing better than a jinchuuriki battle, except maybe some NaruHina romance. The fact I've got both is just my lust for the good things in life. Damn straight you're a crazy hobo. I shall try to come up with a proper moniker for you.

hopeless-flame: Marrying the sand man? That's going pretty far to get a tattoo. Maybe if you asked nicely? I predict some fun sand attacks in the near future. Nothing wrong with girly if you've got a good reason. It's cute.

nonengel: Yep. I hope I dont fall short of my own expectations for the fight. Glad you liked the tattoo. It sounded so fun and cool in my head. I see people do song fics and they dont really relate it to the story. It seems kind of pointless to me. The claws response sounds like something Naruto would say I think.

Danny-171984: I don't think Gaara is all that eager to get another tattoo. And the connection to each other wouldnt be too clear if they got different tattoos. The point was to show their bond. Also, his tattoo means "love" his name means "love myself" If you want you can look up the word love on kanjisite(dot)com and see for yourself. Also also, it is never said who put the tattoo there. The sand did it but it's not possible to say if Gaara was controlling it or if Shukaku was. I check my stories for facts agains the manga and anime so you're going to have to do better than that to find something factually wrong with it :) . Jinchuuriki battle equals good times. What more can I say?

pups4u34: Welcome to the raging hobo gang. Glad you've enjoyed it so far. Internet must be stable. Breaking down bad. booo. My name amuses me too. It creates a great mental image. Continuations? That's unheard of. I think you've lost your mind. And yay! another fan of my songs/poems! super excellent. Write more I shall. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Expired Doughnuts (): It comes... Soon.


	27. Night Falls

Night Falls

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon two shinobi stood outside the walls of one of the greatest ninja villages ever constructed. With a confused look in his jade eyes the shorter of the two turned to his friend.

"Wasn't he supposed to be here by now?"

The blond shrugged slightly a small grin tugging at his lips.

"You know how bad guys are these days. Totally unreliable."

A laugh issued forth from the ichbi container.

"And you say I'm the crazy one. You even make fun of the people who are out for your life."

"Taking them seriously isn't going to make them go away. Might as well have some fun at their expense. Besides, it's hard to fight when you're all tense."

Gaara had little choice but to shake his head at his friend's antics.

"I guess I agree with you, but you're still pretty weird."

"Hina-chan says that it's one of my best qualities."

Both of them were laughing when they saw something moving in the distance. Straining their vision they saw a trail of dust making its way towards them at very high speed. As it got closer, the pair readied themselves for attack, unwilling to be caught unaware. When the cloud was within fifty feet of them it suddenly stopped. Gradually, the dust began to settle revealing a short man who was doubled over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. They watched, stunned, as the new arrival struggled to catch his breath. Unsteadily, the man raised a grayish-white hand in a gesture that asked the two to wait for him. After a few moments the intruder lifted his head, revealing a pair of gray eyes that were ringed in black. The eyes rested below a shock of wild black hair. Calling it 'unkempt' would be a massive understatement. It looked like it hadn't been combed in years.

"Sorry I'm late. Traffic sucked."

Mirth glinted in his soulless eyes. Their appearance shocked Naruto. They reminded him of Hinata's because they were gray all the way to the edge, but they were dark, unfeeling, like a sea of coal that had long since gone cold. Naruto glanced at Gaara as if to ask 'Do you believe this guy?' before looking back at the hunched man.

"Whenever you're ready."

Pulling himself up to his full height, which was barely to Naruto's arm pit, he smiled at the pair.

"You're too kind. Thanks for waiting. Running a couple of hundred miles really takes it out of you."

With movement that was somewhat less than grateful, the man known as Kurohai lowered himself into a fighting stance. He held both hands in front of him, clenched tightly. His legs were bent slightly. To be honest, he looked like an incredible amateur to the men before him. He looked rigid and completely unready to react to any attacks thrown at him. A yellow light flashed behind his gray eyes.

"Come."

Needing no further encouragement, the two attacked. A wave of sand, about seven feet tall, rushed towards the crouched man, with Naruto disappearing behind it. Kurohai smirked at the obviousness of the attack. It was painfully clear that Naruto would be darting out from behind the sand while he was busy fending it off. With a thrust of his hand he dissipated the sand in front of him, only to find that Naruto was nowhere to be seen. A wooshing sound accompanied a rush of movement at his feet as the blond burst through the sand that covered the ground, his fist racing towards Kurhohai's face. With unexpected speed the man caught Naruto's hand about a foot from his face. His eyebrow raised as a smile tilted one side of his mouth.

"Impressive."

In a flash his foot kicked forward, barely giving the Hokage enough time to back flip out of the way. He regained his footing next to his red-haired friend.

"He's fast."

"So it seems. Shall we try attack number two?"

"Yeah. Start it up."

Gaara whirred through a set of seals before yelling "Desert Avalanche!"

A huge wave of sand rose up in front of the Kazekage with Naruto standing on top of it. With furious speed the sand charged forward. When the wall was close to its objective Naruto jumped down behind their opponent, effectively eliminating any chance of escape in that direction. To drive the point home the blond held a rasengan the size of a beach ball in his right hand, practically daring Kurohai to try to run. He shocked them both though when he began to spring towards the oncoming wave of sand. Surely he realized how dangerous his course of action was? Three hundred tons of sand can cause quite a bit of damage. Mere feet before he came in contact with certain doom the black-haired man leapt sharply into the air, his fist raised above him. There was a loud cracking noise as his hand hit the sand, though whether it came from his bones shattering or the sand was not immediately obvious. Moments later it became clear as the sand gave way around his hand. Quickly he pulled his hand back before slamming his other one into the wave. He repeated this process several hundred times in seconds, jack hammering his way through the wall until he emerged above it.

Naruto allowed the rasengan to dissipate, staring open-mouthed at what he had just seen. Gaara was in a similar state but he recovered quicker, beckoning his friend over so that they could coordinate their attack.

"Looks like it's time for attack number three eh?"

Naruto nodded, before rushing through a few seals, ending in the familiar cross-fingered seal.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

Thirty puffs of smoke announced the arrival of a like number of clones, each cracking their knuckles and stretching their neck. Glancing around Gaara proceeded to go through his own set of seals.

"Suna ken! (Sword of sand)"

Suddenly, katana's made entirely out of sand appeared in every clones' hands. A chorus of voices erupted as one.

"Let's go!"

Each clone rushed forward, brandishing their blade with both hands. As they closed in the ten closest clones swung their swords at dark man before them. With fluid movement he dodged each blade in turn. He lashed out at the clones around him, but found that they had lost little speed compared to the original, so all of his attacks missed. Somewhat flustered, he continued to dodge as the next wave of clones attacked him. Things did not go as he planned though. As each sword passed by his body it exploded into a shower of daggers, cutting him as they flew past. Of course, the flying sand also destroyed all of the clones they touched. This did not, however, cause the attack to end. The cloud of daggers now surrounded Kurohai, as his eyes darted about, taking in the situation. In an instant the sand knives began to rain down on him. With nowhere to run he was forced to take the full impact of the attack. When the dust settled they could see that their opponent had been turned in to a human pin cushion. With a smirk, Gaara glanced up at his friend by his side.

"Looks like attack number three was a success."

Naruto had yet to avert his gaze from the man standing before them. That was the thing, he shouldn't have been standing. If he was dead he would have fallen to the ground by now.

"I don't think he's finished yet."

As if he was responding to his words, Kurohai suddenly straightened up, an insane grin that showed more than a few teeth plastered on his face.

"Ouch."

In an explosion of energy the sand blades were expelled from his body, his wounds healing the instant the sand was gone.

"That was a nice attack. It seems I'm going to have to take you more seriously."

Adding action to his words, he closed his eyes, seeming to focus inwardly. Slowly, a black energy began to swirl around his feet before spiralling up to his head. When he opened his eyes again they were pitch black, drawing in the light around them.

"Let's try this again."

He disappeared. Reappearing right in front of Naruto. With a slight hop he was face to face with the blond, where he placed a kiss on his lips before disappearing again. The blue-eyed man nearly fell over as he reeled back from the surprise of his life. Quickly he recovered, pointing an accusatory finger at the man that was now about ten feet in front of him.

"What the hell was that!"

Laughter was his answer.

"I'm just messing with you Naruto-kun. You're not that cute."

This earned a chuckle from Gaara and a hearty facial tic from Naruto.

"When you're done laughing their chuckles how about we take care of this guy?"

"Are you sure you don't want to try to woo him first?"

Naruto's twitch intensified.

"When this is done I'm going to tell Hinata that you said that."

The sand user recoiled in fear at the thought of an angry Hinata. She had been known to make entire anbu squads run for their lives if she felt that they were making unneccessary comments about her beloved Naruto-kun. The Hokage wasted no time in pointing his finger angrily at Kurohai again.

"You're just lucky my wife's not here. You would be dead already, and in a couple hundred pieces."

The man's black eyes seemed to light up when he heard this.

"A fierce woman. I think I will enjoy breaking her."

If he had more to say, no one heard it. The roaring noise that came from the red chakra that was rapidly accumulating around the Kyuubi container was more than enough to drown out any human voice. For his part, the yellow chakra of the Ichbi was flaring violently around Gaara. Gradually, their chakra's formed into vague outlines of their respective demons around them. Growling, Naruto spoke.

"Gaara, if you would do the honors."

With a voice full of killer intent that sent shivers up Kurohai's spine Gaara spoke.

"That...was a mistake."

A/N: part 1 complete. The real fun stuff will be next chapter. Won't they ever learn to not threaten Hinata? It's never a good idea. NEVER!

Dragon Man 180: It's entirely possible he did that. Or at least used him to show why she needs to train hard (as if she needed encouragement). How's Shikamaru's plan working so far?

Danny-17984: Yeah, it was short. I'm at home so I dont have Word here. Makes it hard to see how long the chapters are. I would have wrote more If I had realized. Of course Shikamaru's girl is quite the woman. It is Temari after all. Gaara will get someone eventually. He's too cool not to. Won't be Ino I assure you. She barely edges out Chouji in the interesting category for me. I agree with your logic about Shukaku putting the tattoo there. It does make sense. But it is never said that thats what happened so it can't be confirmed. Seeing as how it's my story I choose to interpret that he put it there himself even if he was insane at the time.

XL (): Kinjutsu action? That's awesome. Gaara was in his room. I think he can figure out that something was going on. He'll live anyways.

Aloi-chan: I know the feeling with the story. Considering my non naruto story has a death in the first 4 paragraphs... then again I was happy when I wrote it. I'm just weird. At least there's no real attachment to the dead character since they are introduced already dead. Yep Im weird.

pups4u34: I guess if you hate couples that are madly in love then yes. But considering they arent a public displays of affection type couple for the most part (Hinata is still too shy for that) I dont think most people would be bothered by it. I love da fluff. It will keep coming. ShikaTema pairing will see more play later because I love it. There probably will be another sibling. Who could stop at just one with Hinata? And yes Windows of the Soul is referring to eyes in the title. If youll notice in the first chapter there is a lot of mention about what is going on in their eyes. The original intent was to make that a common theme through out the chapters but I forgot about it. I'm starting to get more into it again now. It's really referring to eyes in general, not a specific person's. I firmly believe that you can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes, be they blue, white, or otherwise.

hopeless-flame: Woah. No idea whats going on in this review, but I like it. Shikamaru equals cool. Sand attacks equal even cooler. That's Naruto math for you.

Sirus183: Thank you. Soon enough for you? It had better be. I'm not your slave dammit. I mean um... review again please.


	28. Demons Within

A/N: 11 reviews last chapter. Yet another new record. Thank you all. I'm quite thoroughly loving it.

Demons Within

Kurohai's grin grew wider as dark energy sparked behind his eyes.

"Oooo. It seems I've struck a nerve. Come then. Prove this mistake to me."

Before he could even blink the two men disappeared from sight, coming into view again with their fists hurtling towards opposite sides of his face. Without a single wasted movement he caught each attack with the palm of his hand. A low chuckle emanated from his throat as he spoke.

"Very nice. You have impressed me yet again. But it was not…"

He extended his arms, shoving the pair away from him. Bringing his hands together he executed a quick series of seals. Thrusting his arms back out, one palm pointed at each man, an insane smirk overtook his face.

"…Good enough. Hiha! (Flame wave. (No really, that's the translation I found.))"

Just as he completed his words cones of fire sprouted forth from his hands, engulfing the two Kages. At least that's how it appeared. In truth, the red chakra that surrounded Naruto was a natural protection against fire so it passed harmlessly around him, and Gaara's shield of sand was still plenty active as it zipped in front of him to block the attack. Even as the sand protected him from the heat it formed itself into blades that fired at the black-haired man. He dodged most of the daggers, but some still struck home, slicing through the flesh on his arms and legs. Blood spurted forth freely for under a second before the wounds closed themselves. There was silence for just over a second when suddenly an earth-shattering roar issued forth from between black lips. As the volume increased black waves began to scream from his body, knocking his opponents back when they came in contact with them. Both shinobi flipped back and landed on their feet facing the leader of what was once Akatasuki. They circled him until they were side by side again. Naruto spoke.

"Shall we try attack number four?"

The red-haired man nodded in agreement, placing his hands together in front of him. Just as he was about to begin forming seals Kurohai emerged in front of him, kneeing him in the gut before sending an upper cut to his jaw. The sand user sailed upwards before landing and skidding on his back, leaving a trench in his wake. Even before Gaara hit the ground Kurohai turned his soulless black eyes on the blond, moments before he slammed the back of his fist into the side of his head. Naruto went flying from the force of the blow, not stopping until he smashed into the wall surrounding Konoha. In an instant he was attacking the Kazekage again, planting a kick to the side of the still sliding man and sending him sailing in another direction. Again he dashed at holder of the Ichbi, only to be cut off by a massive fireball that flew in front of him. The source of the flames jumped behind his air born friend, halting his travel.

"Are you ok?"

Gaara spat the blood from his mouth on the ground.

"Yeah. I don't remember blood tasting this bad though."

A blond eyebrow raised in question of the statement.

"When was the last time you actually tasted your own blood?"

A pair of emerald eyes looked up and to the left, thinking about the question.

"My own blood? I don't think I ever have."

"Ok now, that's just creepy. I'm glad you're not like you used to be."

"So am I. So am I. Other people's blood didn't taste that good either."

A pair of black eyes appeared in front of them.

"I disagree. And I think that your blood will taste delicious."

With that he crashed his fist into Gaara's stomach far too quickly for his sand to block the blow. The air was rapidly forced from his lungs as the fist pressed further into his abdomen. He collapsed in a heap as the support of the punch was removed. Not waiting for Kurohai to recover from his attack, Naruto launched himself at the man who had made the mistake of threatening his Hina-chan. A vicious left cross was landed on his left cheek, sending him careening through a few trees as he crashed to a stop. Naruto shouted to him as he flew.

"You may be fast, but you're still fighting two of us at once. You can't take your eyes off of us or you're going to get hurt."

Turning to his fallen friend, he extended a hand, which Gaara accepted, and pulled him to his feet. In a much quieter tone he spoke to the sand user.

"Still ok?"

Tenderly, he rubbed his stomach where the blow had landed.

"I'm fine, but why does he keep coming after me first?"

A simple shrug in answer.

"He's probably trying to divide and conquer. He's not stupid, even if he is insane."

Gaara proceeded to crack his neck as he stopped tending to his injury.

"Come, we should attack while he is still down."

"Right. Attack number five on my cue."

Almost instantly a rasengan formed in each of Naruto's hands. As the chakra orbs continued to grow in his hands Kurohai emerged from the forest he had been flung into. Slowly he approached the pair where they stood. When he was within twenty feet of them Naruto issued his command.

"Now Gaara!"

Immediately, sand sprung up around the dark man's feet. His black eyes went wide with surprise. Not wasting another moment, Naruto rushed forward towards the immobilized man, red chakra spinning violently in his palms. Once he was within range he thrust them forward, only to have them intercepted by the man's pale gray hands before they could strike his body. Whatever Kurohai had been hoping would happen, it probably didn't occur as he planned. As his right hand came in contact with the blond's attack his arm was blown clean off. Much more of his chakra had been concentrated in his left hand so he was able to stave off any major injury to that side, but it would probably be numb for a few minutes. Proving the assumption to be correct, his arm hung limply at his side swaying slightly with his breathing. What was frightening though was that the man was still smiling despite it all, bearing his bloody teeth for the world to see. And, even worse than that was he was still laughing.

"Oooo hoo hoo hoo hoo. It seems I'm going to have to step it up again. Can't hardly fight without my arms now can I?"

Without waiting for an answer he closed his eyes, emitting a low hum from the back of his throat. Again, black chakra whirled around him, creating, what appeared to be, a double helix of pure, unadulterated evil. His arm grew back from the shoulder. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, revealing the single silver dot that was now in the center of each one. He ground his teeth together loudly, creating a sickening sound that brought images of the enamel being ground to dust to mind.

In a flash he was gone, clothes lining both shinobi at the same time, and sending them toppling over backwards. Just as before he concentrated his attacks on Gaara, kicking him in the side of the head as he fell. Knocked unconscious by the blow, he was helpless to defend himself as Kurohai juggled him in the air with a series of punches and kicks. After about twenty hits the black-eyed man prepared a kunai that he clearly intended to use to end the life of the Kazekage. Powerless to stop his impending demise, Gaara fell toward the razor sharp blade. Inches before he landed a blaze of red chakra caught him in mid air, swiftly carrying him off to the side.

Dark eyes calmly turned to regard what had saved his target's life. There, standing in the middle of an inferno of chakra was the holder of the Kyuubi, and he looked pissed.

"You would think that you would have learned a lesson from your minions' fight with us. _Never,_ and I mean _NEVER, _hurt my friends."

Nothing could be seen after that but a bright red flare that filled the area with blinding light.

A/N: Hard to say whether I'm teasing you, trying to draw it out, or just think that this is the best way to do things. Hopefully, you all like it no matter which it is. I know my chapters have been kind of short lately. It's because of a combination of me being much busier than I have been, and because fight scenes tend to be fairly difficult to write, or at least to make long. Complex actions require much more thought to write than simple emotions. Because of this it tends to wear me down quicker so I can write less at a time. Even so, I think that you all prefer that I continue to update quickly rather than less often with longer updates. I hope I'm not wrong about this. At least you know you've got another day of fighting to look forward too yet. Probably won't be tomorrow though. I wont have access to a computer tomorrow. At least not one with internet access. Well, that's the way it goes.

Dragon Man 180: No way is the nut ball going down without a fight. That wouldn't be fun at all now would it? Look forward to the next chapter. It's formulating in my head as I type this.

Jays Arravan: Welcome to the raging hobo gang. Always glad to have new members. I'm glad you like the mix of fluff and beat down. The Sasuke fight chapter is one of my favorites actually, even though I don't really like that I killed him off. His death just sounded too cool for him not to die. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Aloi-chan: Weird is good. You need to give yourself more credit in your profile. At 14 I was an absolutely horrendous writer. You far surpass where I was at that stage. Hopefully, that's a compliment.

RawD: You better believe that's a big mistake. He just ticked off her husband and her surrogate brother. Not a good plan.

Anime/Manga lubber (): First, welcome to the gang! Next, you know it's always the quiet ones that are really scary. Hinata is no different. Flee in terror before the angry short girl! Keep reading. Keep loving.

Hopeless-flame: No worries. Confusion is an enjoyable part of life. To imagine Gaara's demon voice, take his normal voice, then drop it down about 4 octaves and add the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. That's how I picture it at least.

Taeron: You know the whuppins are coming. How could they not be? But yeah, he's a pain in the ass to kill. It seems he can back up his claims at least.

Danny-171984: Threaten Hinata at your own risk. It's a good way to get yourself dead. Very dead. Is Kurohai gay? Hmmm. No clue. What do you think? (Im such a bastard. I know.)

Nonengel: Sorry to have to stretch it all out like this. Life catches up with the best of us sometimes. Is an inferno hot enough for you?

RLnaruhina: I dub you "Ankle Biter King of the Midget Hobos". Hmm. Maybe you shouldn't have told me your height. Hahahaha. At least I gave you your hobo name right? If you ever find a raging hobo more interesting than me I would like to meet them and duel them to the death. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

Lunarangel (): Everything Gaara does is cool. It's just part of being Gaara. Love is a powerful thing. Much more powerful than logic. She knows that Naruto is the strongest around, but she can never shake the doubt from her mind that something might go wrong. When love dies everything dies. Such is life as I see it. Everyone is crazy in their own way. Gaara and Naruto just show it more. Just think. I write their craziness. How nuts does that make me?


	29. Oversight

A/N: It seems I forgot to mention last chapter that Kurohai's arm grew back when he changed. I didn't get called on it so people might not have noticed. Nevertheless, I've changed it. And yet another new review record. 12 for one chapter! Ridiculous, and oh so sweet. By the way, I would like to make a request of all of you artists out there. If you could I would like you to draw your favorite moment from this story and send it to my e-mail. I will construct a website and post the images on them (if you want me to that is). If you create art for a new scene I will even write that scene. That is all. Thanks.

Oversight

Slowly the light faded, revealing Naruto standing in the midst of a veritable whirlwind of red chakra. No longer was he hunched over in his traditional Kyuubi stance. Now he was completely upright, his head bowed, red claws of opaque chakra extending from the tip of each finger, nine semi-transparent tails flailing violently behind him. It all made it seem almost like he was on fire. Deliberately he lifted his head, exposing the most startling aspect of his change. His eyes, still with black slitted pupils as before, now seemed to ripple between red and blue. This was the next level, the next degree of fusion between Naruto and the Kyuubi. It was more human than the stage before so it allowed for greater flexibility, especially for the use of taijutsu and hand seals, but it did not sacrifice any of the power and weaponry either. He was still perfectly capable of beating opponents senseless with his tails and tearing them to shreds with his razor sharp claws.

Kurohai gawked openly at the drastic change the young man had just undergone. At the same time he noticed that Gaara, while still unconscious, no longer had any wounds to speak of.

"Very interesting. Let's see if this change was just for show shall we?"

Blond hair waved slightly as Naruto shook his head. In an almost mournful fashion he slowly closed his eyes, and in an instant he was gone. The ebony-eyed man jumped and got in his fighting stance as quickly as he could. It was not fast enough. With his arms only half raised a series of four gashes appeared on the side of his face. The force of the blow wrenched his head to the side. Almost as quickly as they appeared, the wounds closed. Suddenly, the slashes reappeared on the opposite side of his face, but this time, before they could heal, a strike to the gut lifted his feet off the ground. An elbow to the back of the head sent him downwards again. An instant before he hit the earth Naruto's foot slammed into his face, sending him flying backwards head over heels. With a loud crash, he hit the stone walls of Konoha. Even while embedded rock Kurohai's psychotic grin remained intact, only now there was a trickle of blood emerging from the corner of his lips. Sluggishly he extricated himself from the wall, pieces of rock falling around him as he moved. Suddenly, he laughed, the volume growing in intensity with each second.

"Yare yare. I guess you really are serious now. Good. That means I get to do this."

With his muscles clenched tightly he raised his right hand, palm up, in front of him. A ball of black flame flickered into existence in his hand. Steadily, it grew in size until it was about the size of a softball.

"Kai! (release)"

As he yelled he slammed the flame in to his own stomach. The fire passed right through his skin and into his body without burning him at all. Once it was completely inside of him a shockwave exploded out from his body, nearly knocking Naruto off his feet. He hunched over, clutching his shoulders with his pale gray hands. Wings of black chakra slowly unfurled from his shoulder blades, while curved horns of the same type emerged from his forehead. When he righted himself his smile was gone, in its place was a wicked sneer.

"I do so love this form, especially when I use it to kill people."

Without another sound the two men dashed at each other, red met black, whirling together in an angry battle for superiority. Briefly a yin yang formed in the energies just before they erupted in a fountain of light. The light disappeared baring the two men to view, their fists meeting between them. Neither man budged an inch as they struggled against the other's strength. Abruptly, they jumped away from each other, neither one letting down their guard. The instant their feet touched the ground they were off again, leaping forward at the other. If anyone had been watching they likely wouldn't have had a clue going on. All they would be able to see is several black and red explosions occurring all over the battle field every second. Maybe someone was watching though. Lying on the ground where he had been left was Gaara, his jade eyes open again, his fist clenched with anger. He was upset with his own incompetence, but he was not done yet. There was still more that he could do. Slowly, so as not to be noticed, he extended his hand.

At a furious pace the bearers of the black and red chakras exchanged blows, but no matter how many times they each were struck it seemed like no damage was being dealt. Their demon tenants quickly healed every wound that opened, and neither man was able to create a cut large enough that it would take long to heal. There was a factor that had not yet been taken into account though. That factor was the Kazekage of the sand, one Gaara of the Desert.

Unnoticed by either combatant the ground beneath their feet had slowly been turning into sand. By the time they did notice it was already too late, at least for the one known as Kurohai. His movements were suddenly halted by a tendril of sand that wrapped around his leg. Quickly, the tendril expanded to cover his entire leg, becoming a layer of sand about an inch thick all the way around. Gaara closed his hand.

"Sabaku kyuu! (Desert coffin)"

The sand constricted around the dark man's leg. It was not strong enough to crush it, but it was enough to at least hold him still. That was all it needed to do. The fact that the man was distracted by his efforts to remove his leg from its bindings was just a bonus. Distractions are very, very dangerous in a fight. A point that was driven home by the tips of Naruto's claws, which pierced the bound man's shoulder, severing the arm at the joint.

"Shinobi rule number one: Always be aware of your surroundings, especially opponents that aren't quite dead yet."

The insane grin was back, causing the Kage's to question whether he, in fact, liked pain. That question would have to wait for later. He had broken free from Gaara's sand, and the loss of his arm didn't seem to bother him at all. At least they had a decided advantage over him now. Beaming madly to himself, Kurohai bent down and picked up his fallen limb by the wrist. Experimentally, he swung it through the air a couple of times, giggling the whole while. And with that he was off, sprinting at the blond. When he was close enough he swung his arm at him. Naruto dodged, but not completely. Blood from the limb splattered out, striking him in the eyes and temporarily blinding him. As he frantically tried to wipe the blood from his eyes he was struck in the side, knocking him over so that he was lying on his back. Kurohai raised his arm to strike the fallen man, bringing it down in a heavy arc. A wall of sand shot in the way of strike before it could land, a spike emerging from the center in an attempt to impale the gray-skinned man. It was dodged easily. The sand sword in the hands of the man behind him, however, was not, the tip emerging from the center of his chest. He coughed, spitting up blood. Gaara scoffed.

"You should know better than to underestimate me."

Suddenly, Naruto was in front of him.

"And you should know better than to threaten my Hina-chan."

Just as he finished speaking he thrust his claws forward, directly into Kurohai's stomach. The claws contracted inside of him, and then ripped out, taking a chunk of his flesh with them. A blade of red chakra formed along the edge of Naruto's hand.

"It's a shame it had to come to this. We jinchuuriki should stick together. Sorry."

And with that, he struck, driving the chakra blade clean through his neck. His head dropped to the ground, black hair dragging in the dirt. The sand sword in his chest dissolved, and with the last support holding him up gone, he fell.

A tear slid from a cerulean eye as Naruto slung the man's body over his shoulder. Gaara picked up his head. Jade eyes turned towards the blond man.

"You know, we never found out why he was after us."

A light chuckle slipped through the Hokage's lips.

"Yeah, um, oops. Well I guess it's too late to ask now isn't it?"

Gaara turned to face forward as the pair began to walk towards the gates that led home.

"Yeah."

A/N: The End. Of this arc at least. I'm far from done with writing the story altogether. I've still got to include more Natsuki don't I? I hope you liked the fight. This is probably my favorite chapter of it. I think I did better with creating images for your heads (and mine).

Dragon Man 180: Sorry, no Hinata beat down (I actually did consider that.), but Kurhoahai certainly got his.

Jay Arravan: Thanks. Fight scenes are a lot of hard work so it's a good thing they turned out well. As you see Shukaku didn't make a direct appearance, but his presence was felt at least. I hope that's good enough for you.

Aloi-chan: You're welcome. Yes I did get your e-mail. When I went to check for it it wasnt up for normal viewing yet so I haven't read it yet. I'll get around to it soon I promise.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Nope, not good at all, but it's ok in the end. Was this fast enough to earn the cookie? I do so love cookies.

Shadowling777: No worries. Any review is a good review in my book. Thank you. I do try to have a good mixture of action and romance. I know that everybody has their preferences and that I can't please everyone, but I do my best.

Danny-171984: Darn right, the fight is heating up quite a bit. Gaara always gets hit first because of basic battle tactics. A structure is only as strong as its weakest link. Not that Gaara is weak by any means. Just not quite as strong as Naruto. And pay dearly he did. Decapitation fun for all.

pups4u34: Eep, caught in the act eh? I used to play clarinet myself. I lost interest after I split a bone in my hand lengthwise and had to wear a cast for 2.5 months. Now I'm going to learn guitar so it's all good. I must say that I am threatened by you despite my 6'1" male body. I shall surely tremble in fear before your awesome presence. Keep the reviews coming. I enjoy them greatly. I'll do my best to keep up my ridiculous pace.

Sirus183: Danke. Soon enough for you?

hopeless-flame: Poor Gaara. Takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'. How about losing your arm twice? Would that be better? Probably not. Oh well. That would be fun to drop his voice like that for real. Probably could do it by dropping the play speed some. Hmmm.

RLnaruhina: Glad you like the hobo name. Everyone should have one. Kurohai is a super badass. Sasuke wouldn't stand a chance. The whuppin has come. w00t!

lunarangel (): And Kurohai goes down! hard I might add. Technically it was Shukaku that used to taste other people's blood but Gaara probably did too. He was a nut after all. I am certainly not questioning your feelings on the power of love. I wouldn't dream of doing that. I was simply stating my views on the matter, or at least making them clearer. I think your reviews may be more hyperactive than insane. Just so you know. I don't care. I enjoy them no matter what.

Bryr: Hobos. Kicking ass and taking names since the beginning of time. Hinata almost made an appearance (I considered it) but I think I prefer this ending. Hopefully, you do too.


	30. Aftermath

A/N: Geez, only 5 reviews for this chapter? What's that you say? I only gave you about 6 hours to read and review it? Intruiging. Alright then, down to business. Again, I feel the need to inform you that there almost certainly be a break in my writing for at least a few days due to the absence of internet I will be experiencing. I will try to use that time to write more so that I will put up a few chapters at once when I can. Sound good? Of course it does.

Aftermath

Two men marched through the gates of Konoha, a third man was being carried between them. Well, part of him was being carried by each man that is. They chatted amiably with each other as they walked. They weren't paying attention to their surroundings. The enemy was dead now after all, right? All of a sudden Naruto was knocked off of his feet by someone tackling him around his waist. That someone was his wife, Uzumaki Hinata. The person he had never felt happier to see. The body he had been carrying was sent flying when he fell, so now his arms were free. He tenderly wrapped them around the woman who was sobbing into his chest. Gently, he lifted her off the ground, still holding her close. She pounded her tiny fists against his chest.

"Why! Why wouldn't you let me go with you!"

Calloused hands laced their fingers through blue hair, softly stroking.

"You know why. I couldn't let you get hurt. I just couldn't take that chance."

A final hit, accentuated by a whisper.

"Baka."

Lightly he gripped her shoulders, pulling her back and away from him.

"Yeah, I know. Hey, listen. Can you go wait at home for me? I need to take care of something."

He gestured back over his shoulder at the body with his thumb. She shook her head, a small grin tugging at her lips.

"Not this time Fox boy. I'm going with you."

"I don't suppose I have a choice in the matter do I?"

"Not a one."

Sighing, he picked up the fallen body.

"Alright, then. Gaara, let's go take this bastard to the anbu headquarters. I'll get old lady Tsunade to check him out later."

Solemnly, the red head nodded, but inside he was laughing. He had never seen his friend so utterly defeated as in this conversation with the small pale-eyed girl.

Later that evening they all sat around Naruto's living room. Naruto and Hinata were on the couch while Gaara was slouched in an easy chair.

"Alright Naruto-kun, shirt off. I need you to check you for injuries."

"Aww come on Hina-chan. I'm fine. You know that the Kyuubi heals all my wounds right after they occur."

A glare silenced the whining blond.

"I don't care. I don't trust that fox to do everything right. Besides, it would make me feel better." She batted her eyelashes at him cutely. "Pleeeeease?"

Hinata two, Naruto zero. How could he resist her when she does that? He pulled his shirt up over his head. She looked him over, telling him to turn so she examine his back. As she turned back around she activated her byakugan.

"Hey, couldn't you have used that to examine me through my shirt?"

She giggled, nodding sweetly.

"Yeah, but I like this way better."

A sly grin spread across the blond's face.

"You're a naughty girl."

A delicate hand raised to cover a growing blush.

"Naruto, not in front of Gaara."

A soft laugh escaped the Hokage as he nodded his head towards the chair. There, fast asleep and drooling slightly, was one very tired jinchuuriki.

"I don't think we have to worry about him."

He pulled the blue-haired girl into his lap.

"Now then, if you don't mind, I could really use a jyuken massage. Fighting evil really takes it out of me."

She stood, gripping her husband's hand and pulling him up with her.

"I think I can do better than that."

The next morning the three ventured to the outskirts of town where the only living former Hokage of Konoha lived. Naruto knocked on the door. Of course, being Naruto it was loud enough to wake people in the house next door, if there was a house there that is. Slowly the door opened, revealing a groggy, and none too happy, Tsunade. A punch flew at Naruto's face. Fortunately, he wasn't the Rokudaime for nothing. He dodged the blow with a slight movement of his head to the side.

"Dammit Naruto, why won't you let me hit you anymore?"

An incredulous look took over cerulean eyes.

"Because it hurts and I'm not stupid. And for your information I never _let_ you hit me. As soon as I was able to dodge I did."

The now drastically more awake ex-Hokage retracted her hand, sighing softly.

"Fine. Now, dare I ask what you're doing here waking me up so early."

Gaara spoke for the first time that morning.

"We have a body we need you to look at. He was a jinchuuriki like us. We need you to see if their is anything else odd about it."

Wrinkled fingers ran through long blond hair.

"Alright, I'll look at it. Can we at least have breakfast first. Besides, I need to put on my 'make up'."

The three gathered outside chuckled slightly at Tsunade's comment about how she didn't have up her fake age genjutsu yet. She turned, ushering the trio inside with a wave of her hand. Her 'little brother' just had to open up his mouth as he entered.

"So, Tsunade-obaa-chan what's for breakfast?"

The next sound anyone heard was a loud cracking noise as the 'old lady's' fist connected with the back of a blond head. A moment later Naruto emerged from the kitchen he had entered rather unwillingly, rubbing the new sore spot on his head.

"Oh come on Okaa-san. We had a rough night. Fighting a jinchuuriki isn't easy you know. Not to mention he was the real leader of Akatsuki."

Amber eyes opened wide, flashing with anger and concern.

"And you didn't tell me about this... why?"

"The three of us are the only ones that knew. I didn't want anyone to come and try to help us. It was too dangerous for others."

"Tell me about it."

About an hour later Tsunade took a sip of her coffee.

"So that's how it went?"

A nod.

"Oh."

Casually she rose from her seat and walked over to where Naruto was sitting. Suddenly, she flung her arms around his head, crushing the side of his face to her chest as she rested hers on the top of his head. He could feel tears raining down on his scalp. Her voice was shaky.

"I'm just glad you're ok."

Tentatively he returned her embrace.

"You know me. I'll always make it out alright."

"I hope so."

As quickly as it had happened, it ended. The hug was broken and Tsunade's eyes were completely dry.

"Alright, let's go check out this body of yours."

A few minutes later they all stood outside the anbu headquarters. Leisurely, Gaara extended his hand to his blond friend.

"Naruto, it's been fun. But I can't spend anymore time here. My village needs me. Be sure to tell me if you find anything out."

A strong grip seized the sand user's hand.

"I'm sorry to see you go, but I understand. Thank you for all of your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

A wry smile curved Gaara's lips.

"I'm not so sure about that, but you're welcome anyways."

Releasing his grip on his friend's hand, Gaara made his way over to his second sister. Lovingly, he wrapped his arms around her. Bending his neck, he whispered in her ear.

"Take care of that big oaf. He loves you and he needs you."

Hinata nodded slightly against his shoulder. After placing a light kiss on the small girl's forehead (Gaara was the only man Naruto would let get away with that, except perhaps Neji.) he walked over to Tsunade, offering his hand to his brother's mother. Gratefully, she took it.

"Tsunade-sama, as always it was a pleasure to see you."

"Same to you Gaara. Come visit any time you want."

Nodding, he let go of her hand.

"Thank you, I will. Now then, I must be off."

And in a swirl of sand he was gone. In his place was a small sand statue... of Naruto... with a tiny pair of horns protruding from his forehead.

A/N: Yep yep that's the way it goes. I'm growing bored with this arc so I'll probably come back to it later to tell you the results of Tsunade's examination. At least the horned Naruto got to make another appearance.

Danny-171984: Don't worry. 'The reason', as it shall henceforth be known, will be covered later. Glad you liked the fight though. It was a pain as all fights are, but it was worth it in the end. mmmm Hinata.

Dragon Man 180: I love the arm club maneuver. It amuses me. Don't worry about the drawings. I don't actually expect to get any responses to it, I'm just hoping. Anything you want to give me is quite alright.

RLnaruhina: Darn right you like seeing your name down here. I'm good at final beatdowns eh? A fine compliment. If a fight ends with a pfftt it sucks. Got to go out with a bang.

lunarangel (): Man o man. That last chapter inspired you. I usually dont get this long of a review from one chapter even from you. Sweet. GO arm club no jutsu! Don't worry about the angry thing. I understand. I think I've got the right idea about love. It's the most important thing in life and it's the one thing I feel that I'm missing right now. Someday though. I'll find it. Being hyperactive is fun. I know from experience. By the way, I doubt your friend is going to have much success knocking you out with chlorophyll seeing as how thats what plants use absorb sunlight and to make sugars. Chloroform perhaps? I'll be sure to limit your access to sugar and caffeine should we ever meet though.

Jays Arravan: Thanks again. Level 3 kyuubi mode was a good time for me too. Don't worry. 'The reason', as it shall henceforth be known, will be covered later. I have a plan. I always have a plan. Most of the time.


	31. Explanations and Meetings

Explanations and Meetings

Jade eyes turned to regard the blond man standing in the door way.

"So what did she find out about Kurohai?"

Casually, the man stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Seal us up sand man. This is only between you and I."

A nod, and the room was covered with an inch thick layer of sand. The only illumination was a small lamp situated on the Kazekage's desk.

"Alright, here's the deal. He wasn't lying about being a jinchuuriki if you were having any doubts about that. Apparently, he had the nibi (two tails) and the sanbi (three tails) sealed inside of him. I've got no idea how he managed that, but it certainly explains his strength. In addition to that, he had some sort of seal on his heart. It closely resembles Orochimaru's curse seal, but it's still quite different. It seems like its purpose was to numb the pain he felt and also to increase his stamina by increasing the energy to his heart. That, in addition to the dual demons inside of him, was probably the cause of his obvious insanity. She couldn't figure out what was going on with his eyes though. It didn't appear to be an advanced bloodline or anything, just a physical abnormality. The silver dots that showed up in his eyes were probably similar to my slitted pupils in Kyuubi mode. They don't really have any effect, they're just an outward manifestation of his demons."

Gaara sat at rapt attention through the whole spiel, but he still wasn't satisfied.

"Did she, by any chance, find out what those demon's forms were?"

"Oh, right. Well, she said that the nibi was some sort of humanoid demon with large wings on its back. The sanbi was a lizard. Something like a scaly salamander with big pointy teeth."

Wide eyes betrayed the Kazekage's shock.

"That may be one of the weirdest things I've ever heard of."

A small chuckle came from Naruto's mouth.

"This coming from the man with a giant badger sealed inside of him."

"Hey, at least my demon has the right number of tails."

"There's a right number of tails for demons?"

"Yes. No. Shut up."

That was the last straw. Naruto doubled over laughing. He had never seen Gaara as confused as he was now. The walls of sand dropped, letting the sun pour in through the windows. Gaara stood in front of his bemused friend.

"When you're quite finished, there is someone I would like to introduce you to."

Quickly, the bond man righted himself, clearly curious as to who he was going to be meeting.

"Oh? And who's that?"

A knowing grin spread across the red-haired man's face.

"You'll see."

"Well, let's get going."

And with that they were out the door, quickly making their way out of the building and across the village. Soon they arrived at a small house near the edge of town. Leisurely, Gaara strode up and knocked. Moments later the door opened and a girl flung herself at the unsurprised young man. Clearly he was used to this type of greeting. Lightly, he pulled the girl away from him, her violet eyes shining as she looked up at him. Still gripping her shoulders, he turned her so that she was facing Naruto.

"Honey, this is Naruto. He's my friend from Konoha. Naruto, this is Moeko. She's my girlfriend."

The girl smiled shyly from underneath her bright white hair. Exhuberant as ever, Naruto extended his hand to the girl who was huddled against Gaara. Tentatively, she took the offered hand in her own. A light squeeze from Naruto ended the contact as she drew her hand back to her chest.

"Hey there Moeko-chan. I hope this bastard's been treating you well." He turned to Gaara. "You've found quite the catch here Gaara. I'm impressed."

The red heads smile broadened as he pulled Moeko in closer to him. That seemed to give her the courage she needed to speak.

"Hello Naruto-kun, Gaara has told me a lot about you."

Blue eyes turned to regard the wildly smirking Kazekage.

"I'm sure he has. Hopefully, he's at least kept the bad stories to a minimum."

Gaara chuckled.

"There are good stories?"

Blond hair drooped as the head beneath it sagged. Gaara sighed.

"Oh give me a break Naruto. We all know it takes more than that to get you down."

His head popped back up, blue eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Yeah, you're right."

Moeko timidly stepped forward, gesturing for Naruto to bend over. He did as he was asked and she whispered in his ear.

"There are no bad stories. Whenever he talks about you this big stupid grin spreads across his face. He tells me that you made him who he is today." She placed a light kiss on the blond's cheek. "Thank you."

He turned his head slightly so that his mouth was beside her ear.

"You're welcome. He's a good guy and I'm lucky to know him."

With a nod she retreated to her waiting boyfriend. He lovingly wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Well then, we never got to celebrate after the fight with Kurohai." A michievous gleam sparkled in his emerald eyes. "I think it's time to party."

A/N: More conclusion type chapters to the Kurohai arc. There will be at least one more. Though it might not be right away. Well, it probably will be when I post chapters next. Which shouldnt be until saturday at the earliest. I'm sure you'll all be able to live without me for that long. At least I hope you can. I'd feel pretty bad if you people were keeling over because you didnt get to read this tiny piece of my insanity.

Danny-171984: For once Gaara made the horns on purpose. Running joke of doom. Not sure how I'll connect the new info to the story. If I do at all. yes the lack of internet shall make me cry.

RawD: HAHA. The best part of my story is a random repeating comedy bit. That's so cool. Should I change the genre to comedy perhaps? lol.

Aloi-chan: Good. I'm always glad that you enjoyed it. Updates will surely come when I get internet again.

hopeless-flame: Everybody makes mistakes in the heat of battle ne? Mental victory dance? Fun. Ya know, maybe I would agree with the Gaara hotness stuff if I was less male, or more gay. Well, I'll just let you have your fun ok? You and your Gaara obsession. It's fun to watch. lol.

Anime/Manga lubber (): 5 cookies? SWEET! mmm the sweet taste of victory. yummy. naruhina is way too hard to find. Its the best pairing out there. It doesnt get nearly the love it deserves. Mine is certainly not finished though.

Jays Arravan: You're darn right I update fast. You must be new here. I move like im all hopped up on speed. Glad you seemed to enjoy it all. I'm afraid that I wont be reviewing your story. The trajedy part turned me off. I tend to take things like that rather hard. Perhaps I'll review one of your other stories instead. I cant do the whole depression thing. Hits me like a ton of bricks.

Dragon Man 180: Never argue with your wife. It's not worth it. You just know Naruto would have a smart ass response to Tsunade's question too. The recurring gag is back. Go horned Naruto!

nonengel: What exactly were you expecting? Just out of curiousity. I hope that you enjoying the aftermath more is just a way of saying that you enjoyed it a super lot. lol. Oh well, maybe I'll make you happier later.

mayashin: Welcome to the raging hobo reviewer gang! Naruhina is the best and we here at raging hobo inc. know it. Feel free to review any chapters you want. I would love it. I'll keep trying to live up to your expectations. Keep reading. Keep loving.


	32. Anxiety

Anxiety

A stone-faced Hyuuga Hiashi stared at the man in front of him.

"So you want to marry my daughter do you?"

"Hai."

"And why do you think I should approve this?

Naruto shifted uncomfortably where he sat on his knees, trying to come up with the best way to answer the question posed him.

"Because I love her, and she says she loves me as well. She already said yes when I asked her after all. Furthermore, I will always love her and protect her and I would never do anything to hurt her."

White eyes were covered as Hiashi slowly blinked. A deep sigh issued forth from the elder Hyuuga.

"I see."

A pause.

"Well Naruto I happen to agree with all of your reasons. I do believe that you would do everything you could for her. However."

The smile that had been growing on Naruto's face dropped at Hiashi's final word. The Hyuuga continued to speak.

"I am not willing to trust only my own judgement on matters as important as my daughter's life and happiness. As the situation currently stands I have no objections to you marrying Hinata."

The blond's smile was back.

"I will send for you when I have reached my final conclusion."

Naruto bowed politely with his hands on his knees before him.

"Thank you Hiashi-sama."

A small chuckle escaped the older man as Naruto rose to leave.

"You know, I think that's the first time you've ever adressed me as sama."

Sheepishly, a hand rubbed the back of a blond head.

"Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I'm not too good with titles."

Almost imperceptibly, the corners of Hiashi's lips turned into a smile.

"It's ok Naruto. Perhaps I just hadn't earned your respect yet."

Just as Naruto was about to emphatically deny his statement Hiashi waved him off, his stone mask back in place. Confused as ever Naruto walked out the door. Hinata was waiting for him in the Hyuuga mansion's front room. As soon as she saw him she rushed forward to meet him.

"How did it go?"

Still reeling from the conversation, he found himself unsure of how to answer.

"Um, pretty good I guess. He says that he has no problem with the idea but he wants to find out more about me before he officially agrees."

Lavender eyes opened wide with amazement.

"That's the best response he's ever given to anyone asking to marry a clan member."

It was Naruto's turn to be shocked.

"That's the best response? What does he usually say to them?"

Hinata nervously chewed her lower lip.

"Well, I'm not sure actually, but most of them came out crying."

"Ok that's just wrong."

Small shoulders shrugged slightly, causing her hair to sway slightly.

"My father is a little overprotective of the Hyuuga family."

"No kidding. I'm glad I didn't have to grow up with him." Pausing, he offered his arm the girl next to him. "Well, my lovely fiance, would you perhaps like to go get some dinner?"

Lightly taking the arm proffered her, she smiled and nodded.

A couple of days later a messenger arrived at the field where Naruto was training. He had just finished punching straight through the largest tree in the area when he heard a voice behind him.

"Ahem, Naruto-san?"

After jerking his fist clear of the tree he turned to face the young Hyuuga behind him.

"Yo. What's up?"

The man bowed, offering the small piece of paper in his hand to Naruto.

"Hiashi-sama requests your presence as soon as possible."

"Ah, I see. Thanks."

Naruto turned and was starting to walk away. Another sound interrupted him.

"Um, Naruto-san?"

He turned to the young man once again.

"Hmm?"

The young Hyuuga bowed his head respectfully.

"Good luck."

Naruto returned his bow.

"Thanks.

And then he was off. Within moments he arrived at the Hyuuga compound, and without waiting for permission to enter he leapt over the front gates. In another moment he was seated in front of an expressionless Hiashi.

"You sent for me Hiashi-sama?"

A nod.

"I have spoken with the people I wanted to speak to and have come to a conclusion."

Naruto waited impatiently for him to continue.

"I spoke to your sensei's Iruka, Kakashi, and Jiraiya, the other jounin sensei's who know you, the people from your graduating class and my nephew Neji's team, I even asked the Hokage for her opinion. Through it all there was only one conclusion I could come to."

Blue eyes widened as the blond felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. If Hiashi didn't tell him his decision soon he was positive that he would be passing out in moments.

"I have decided to allow you to marry Hinata."

And the blond was down, unconscious with a huge grin across his face. Hiashi sighed in irritation, though there was a small amount of mirth in the tone.

"I suppose I should go get my daughter and tell her to come take care of her fiance."

He glanced back at the comatose young man.

"I just hope she doesn't pass out too. It would be a pain to have to go get someone to take care of her too."

A/N: Well I'm sorry that this is only one chapter. The laptop kind of broke before I got to write anything. I hope you enjoyed this chapter though. I'm still trying to keep Hiashi in some sort of a middle ground between nice guy and asshole. He'll always have loving father lurking underneath though. I'll see about cranking out some more lovin' for you guys real soon (tonight perhaps?)

Aloi-chan: While this isn't as soon as I would have liked to update it will have to do ne? Yeah, I couldn't leave the little casanova all alone now could I?

hopeless-flame: Sorry to have your man stolen from you. Maybe they'll break up and you can steal him? the celebration will be covered later. Hinata is at home. Natsuki hasn't been born yet (though it would be soon after this.)

Dragon Man 180: Yup, Moeko is like old school Hinata. Baby Gaaras? Scary. We will see them when I get around to writing about them, which should be soon actually.

Danny-171984: Gaara met Moeko before he left to fight Kurohai, he just didn't mention it to Naruto or Hinata. He felt that it wasn't important enough to mention at that point in time. Besides, Gaara likes surprises, and what's more surprising then meeting someone for the first time? As per your request I will do a chapter about their meeting eventually.

Shukido-chan: I whole-heartedly welcome you back. I'm glad you could make it. Your flattery is appreciated as always. Review as much or as little as you want. I love hearing from you. You know how bad guys are. They like to threaten people, even when it's really dangerous to do so. Caffeine is your friend but use it in moderation. We don't need your heart exploding from over exertion. Here, scratch the itch.

Jays Arravan: Well you asked for it. Sorry about leaving you hanging on his motives and all, those will still be covered later. Not saying I didn't like your story. Judging soley on your reviews I would bet that it's probably better written then mine. Im just trying to stay away from the sadness because it makes it hard for me to sleep. I happen to be someone who suffered from a few years of depression. I'm probably not fully recovered from it. Be sure to tell me if you ever write something minus the depression in it. I would love to read it.

nonengel: Thanks. Nothing like having multiple voices in your head to drive you a little nutty. Moeko will be making more appearances for sure. I understand. I like his fight with Sasuke the best so far I think. The power up fight just seemed to work the best for this one. I wanted to have the opportunity to describe the ascension in powers. They create some pretty cool visuals for me. The strategic fighting elements will always be present for people like you.

RLnaruhina: haha you got int trrooooubtle. lol. Glad to see you didn't die in the wait. More Moeko!

John Bellamy (): 1.Deal. 2. Thanks. 3. Hooray 4. Sasuke getting beat down? of course you did. 5. Thanks, I liked it too. 6. Darn right. 7. relationships are funny. 8. I wish you were giving me more to work with here. I do appreciate your reviews very much. I just like responding to them too. 9. He shoots he scores!

lunarangel (): How could Hinata let him go after she was so afraid he would die? Just not gonna happen. Hinata pretty much always wins in the argument category, but you know how Naruto scores his points. Arm club no jutsu is the best ever. I dont think I said anything about coffee. Are you hallucinating? It doesn't matter. Good times all around. Waiting sucks I know. I hope it was worth it.

Xoni Newcomer (): Welcome back. Thanks. The changes need to be made. I just didn't realize it at first. Fluff is a beautiful part of life. Everyone should learn to appreciate it. Aww fits that chapter nicely I think. I understand about the fight. A few people complained. I just say that Naruto doesn't do the whole 'run out of chakra' thing. :( I thought it was fun... Oh well. Funny. It's something I try to do. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. The Byakugan probably can see underground. For the sake of this though she just wasnt paying attention and it would be difficult to focus enough to look underground while still being able to see everything going on around her. Fatigue sets in when I'm writing fight scenes. I can only write so much about a particular fight at a time and still keep up my rate of production. The ease of the Akatsuki fight is kind of explained later, but it wasn't that easy. As I said they were going even before I tuned in to it. I just decided to cover the climax of it. Oldies but goodies. I'll see what I can do about putting in more SakuLee. They're not one of my favorites but I'll do what I can for you. I like Shino's the most too. They're out of character and yet not at the same time. Lee is always loud. Such is life. And Gaara is a nut. I love crazy Gaara. The story is called "The Day the Smile Slipped". I reccomend reading the rest of his stories too though. They're all very good.

pups4u34: No worries. Not everyone can review like a crazy person (Im looking at you Dragon Man). As for the theater. I don't like to watch shows really. I do, however, LOVE to be in them. I don't mind seeing them though. Just not my main thing. Conversations are fun. Feel free to continue them here or through my AIM (nyte35) or however you want. I'm always open to talk. I kind of understand the thinking I'm a girl (and i probably deserve it for thinking that nonengel is a girl) since I write a ton of fluff. That's not really a very guy thing to do. Don't worry about it though. No harm done. I guess I could throw in some arguments, but Naruto is kind of patterned after me (Im pretty non confrontational and I dont let things bother me) and Hinata isn't really the type to get angry either. I have had her upset with him a couple times though think about when he stood her up and when she was suspicious of him before her birthday. Most of the moments I cover happen to be moments of high significance. The type of times when petty arguments just wouldn't happen. I will see about throwing some quirks into their relationship though. His name was Kurohai, and I'm glad you liked it.

P.S. ramblings are great.


	33. Sympathy for the Devil

A/N: Here it is again. The request. If you could I would like you to draw your favorite moment from this story and send it to my e-mail. I will construct a website and post the images on them (if you want me to that is). If you create art for a new scene I will even write that scene. That is all. Thanks.

Sympathy for the Devil

"Geez Gaara. Your sister is nuts when she's drunk."

The red-haired man sighed at his friends comment.

"Yeah, I know. I don't have too many parties for just that reason."

A boisterous laugh spilled from the blond's mouth.

"Seems reasonable to me. She freaked me out when she pinned me against the wall, demanding that I bring her 'Shika-kun' with me next time. To be honest she was scarier than Kurohai. I almost feel sorry for Shikamaru."

That earned a glare from a pair of jade eyes.

"Hey hey. I'm just joking. I love your sister."

The glare intensified.

"Like a sister. I love her like a sister. Geez, I never would have figured you for protective type. Besides, your sister can take care of herself."

The glare turned into a grin.

"Yeah, I know. I just like making you squirm. I had to get you back for the last time you were here and I took you out to eat."

The two men's talking had apparently roused the small white haired girl that had been sleeping while clinging to Gaara's arm. The sand user raised a hand and gently stroked her hair.

"Welcome back Bright eyes."

She closed her eyes and snuggled into his arm, smiling sweetly the whole time.

"Mmm. Hi."

A knock on the door interrupted there tender interaction. Naruto lifted a hand to keep his friend from standing and disturbing the girl further.

"I'll get it."

Walking over to the door he turned the handle and opened it, revealing a member of Konoha's anbu with his hand raised, prepared to knock again.

"Hokage-sama, we have a message for you and the Kazekage from one of our teams in the field."

An eyebrow raised in anticipation.

"Oh? Well come in and tell us. We cant have you exposing it out in the open like this."

With a sharp bow the anbu member stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Dutifully, he walked behind his Hokage as he approached the seated Gaara. The red head grimaced when he noticed the anbu. Gently he shook Moeko, who had fallen asleep again. Sleepily she opened her violet eyes. Solemnly, Gaara looked down at her.

"Moeko can you give us a moment? Unfortunately, we can't let you hear about official business."

He stood, pulling the small girl up with him. Sweetly, she nodded before walking out of the room. When the three men were sure that she was out of ear shot the kage's turned to the masked man. Naruto spoke.

"Ok, what's the news?"

"We found their base."

"Who's base?"

"Akatsuki."

Huge grins spread across the faces of the two kage's. Excitedly, they asked him to give them the details.

"Apparently they were stationed just outside of The Sand. We have some men there right now guarding it. We figured that you would want first crack at checking the place out."

"How far is it?"

The anbu thought for a second.

"About six hours run for me."

The blond glanced at his friend and they both smiled.

"Alright, we'll check it out tonight. Let's go."

"Hold up there slappy. I've at least got to tell Moeko that I'm leaving."

Naruto let out a laugh as he carelessly scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, right. Well hurry up and do that so we can leave."

Emerald eyes rolled with frustration as Gaara left to tell his girlfriend he had to leave. After about five minutes he returned, his face far more flushed than when he had left. Naruto gawked openly at his blushing friend.

"Looks like she gave you quite the good bye."

Gaara chose to ignore his friend's comment and turned to the anbu.

"Take us there."

The anbu bowed sharply before exiting out the front door with the two men in tow. Quickly, they were off, dashing towards the edge of the village. As soon as they were away from the buildings of the city they could see a fire burning in the distance, a trail of smoke spiralling into the sky. Worried, the kage's turned to their guide.

"What's going on with that fire?"

"It's just a signal to show us where we're headed."

Naruto turned to his emerald eyed friend who wore a grin that he was sharing. With a nod they both darted ahead of the man wearing a gorilla mask.

"We're going on ahead. We'll meet you there later." the blond shouted as they dashed into the distance.

The anbu could do little but shake his head as the two jinchuuriki disappeared across the sands. In just under an hour they arrived at their destination. They were greeted by a pair of very surprised anbu. The man who was apparently the commander stepped forward.

"Greetings Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama." He nodded to the two men in turn. "The base is right this way."

Casually, they walked over to a trap door in the sand. Kneeling, the anbu grabbed a handle that had been covered by the sand and opened the doors. After forming a small ball of light in his hand Naruto stepped in to the opening, immediately followed by Gaara. It wasn't long before they found something. In a small room off to the side they found a small book on a wooden desk. Upon opening it, they discovered that it was a diary of some kind. Naruto skimmed through the first few pages. For the most part all they contained was a recording of daily activities, including what he ate during the day. The only useful information they gained from the start was that the author was in fact Kurohai. It continued on like that until they reached the tenth page. Starting there was an apparent description of the dark man's motives.

-I freed the first of my demon brethren today. The two inside of me congratulated me on my brutality. I don't know though. The demon I freed didn't seem all that pleased to be out. It seemed almost like he had taken a liking to the girl he was sealed within. I don't understand. I know for a fact that the two in me would kill me if they ever got the chance. They're using me for now to free their friends. I agree with them in a way. It must be hell to be imprisoned like they are. I know that I could never stand to be locked away for all eternity. I would always fight to get free. And so I'm helping them for now. I don't want to die though. Not yet. They keep telling me to kill myself though. I'm not sure how long I can take it. I'm so confused. I hate the people that did this to me. I just wish I knew who they were so I could end their miserable lives. Maybe I'll find them someday. Hopefully.

Kurohai

They were stunned. Neither had realized just how bad he had had it. Two voices in his head that wanted him dead while at the same time wanted him to kill others. They doubted that they would have been able to keep their sanity themselves if it was them in that situation. It was more than fortunate that they had come to terms with their demons. Shukaku still tried to take control every now and then, but Gaara's mind was much stronger now that he was able to get a full nights sleep. They both had to wonder about if their demons felt the same way as Kurohai's did. A dark voice rang in Naruto's subconscious.

**"Don't worry about it kid. He was right when he said that some of the demons learn to like their hosts."**

'Oh? And are you one of them fox?'

**"Don't push your luck kid."**

With a chuckle and a shake of his head Naruto returned to reading. The next passage was dated a couple of months later.

-I found a way to at least keep the voices from being so loud in my head. It's a seal. I found it in one of the books of the latest jinchuuriki I killed. It took some practice but I think I finally got it right. The fact that the seal had some added benefits was a nice touch. I can still hear them yelling at me, but it sounds like I managed to shove them into the distance some. They're always there in the back of mind. I'm still going to help them because it seems to keep them calm. They don't seem as angry when I'm doing what they ask. Maybe they want me to finish their work before I die. I don't know. Maybe I deserve to die.

Kurohai

A pair of frowns had placed themselves on the two kage's faces. They felt pity for the man, but at the same time they did not regret what they had done. They couldn't afford to regret it. He had threatened their homes and their loved ones. He had to be stopped. That didn't seem to make them feel any better though. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. Pensively they continued to read, eventually coming to the final passage.

-This is it. I'm going to go fight the remaining two jinchuuriki. I just want to get this over with. They're strong. At least the one from Konoha is. He beat the man I had as the figure head leader of Akatsuki. That's fine. They were just supposed to scout out their power for me. The truth is, I don't think I care if I win this time. Maybe it's finally time for me to go. I recently found out that the men who sealed the demons in me are long dead, victims of their own quests for power, so I can no longer take my revenge on them. I found their graves, just to make sure they were, in fact, dead. I lost it a little bit when I saw their headstones. The first one shattered when i punched it. The second one is even worse. Nothing is left of it but a fine powder on the ground. I need to go now. Hopefully, after this I'll finally be able to rest.

Kurohai.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief.

"Dammit. He didn't deserve all of this. No one does."

Gaara placed a gentle hand on his friend shoulder.

"Maybe he is finally at peace now."

Blue eyes on the verge of tears turned to meet jade ones.

"I sure hope so."

A/N: Super end of Kurohai arc. I hope you all enjoyed the insight.

Danny-171984: The stress finally caught up with the blond nut. I'll consider writing what you asked by I think that may be a bit of a pain in the ass and quite redundant. The laptop was just a plan so that I could write on the road. It failed. I'll be back on my real computer soon.

RLnaruhina: Sweet. I guess I did Hiashi right. Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Aloi-chan: Even Hiashi has his moments it seems.

RawD: Few words but good words. I salute your brevity.

Dragon Man 180: Mmm. Mouth to mouth from Hinata. Good times.

Anime/Manga lubber (): No worries. Review whenever you want. I'll be sure to tell you if I ever finish this story, but it won't be happening until I run out of ideas. Be prepared for plenty more reading.

Jester12: Welcome to the raging hobo reviewers gang. Natsuki was born after Kurohai attacked, but not long after. I'm going to have it like Hinata was pregnant during the fight. My time line is so screwed up even I'm not entirely sure what's going on. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Princess Falling Star: Welcome to the reveiwers gang. Glad to have you. Yeah, I changed the mask. Someone asked me about it and I happened to agree with them so I went back and changed it. Anyways. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Jays Arravan: Yup, another of my crazy timeline jumps. Glad my Hiashi worked for you. Don't worry about my depression. It doesn't really exist anymore. It's just something I strive to avoid slipping in to. I'm really quite the happy go lucky guy. Now if you had asked me how I was a few years ago... The answer would not have been the same. I do believe I will read that story you suggested. I'm looking forward to it.

madnarutofan: One shots are much easier for me to write so they will continue. I'm glad you're enjoying it like I am.

Shadowlink777: Oh cmon man. I was on the road and couldnt write. That was the first time my story ever skipped more than one day without updating. I occasionally need to eat and sleep and stuff so I can't write constantly. I'll do my best to keep your heart beating though. I don't need a death on my conscience. : )

lunarangel (): Hiashi loves his family and makes it a point to keep them strong and happy. If he doesn't think someone is worthy of entry into it he'll make it known. He might be just a little too honest though. Glad you could read RLnaruhina's fic. He's a good guy and I'm sure he appreciates the review.


	34. Extended Family

Extended Family

Two women, one with white hair and one with blue hair, were busy fussing over a baby girl. Beside them was a girl of three years of age. her light blue hair bobbed up and down as she hopped, trying to get a better view of the baby. Noticing her daughter's predicament, Hinata adjusted herself slightly so that she could see. Natsuki bent over the baby and cooed, earning a giggle from the littlest one. Hinata turned to face Moeko, a friendly smile gracing her lips.

"She's so cute. What's her name?"

Moeko turned her violet eyes on her daughter. Gently she reached down and lightly tickled her stomach.

"Her name is Ami."

The baby's bright green eyes seemed to sparkle when she heard her name.

"That's a beautiful name."

Hinata laughed as she watched her daughter playing with the younger girl.

"I think Natsuki has adopted her as her little sister."

A soft chuckle escaped the white-haired woman's throat as she gazed lovingly at her new child.

"I think you may be right."

Meanwhile, the two women's husbands were leaning against the wall talking quitely to each other.

"Congratulations Sand man. You did good."

Gaara looked icredulous.

"I didn't really do anything. I just tried to keep her from crushing my hand while she as giving birth."

Naruto cringed slightly as he remembered his own child's birth.

"I hear that. I doubt that my hand would have healed anywhere close to normal if it wasn't for the ol' bastard fox."

"Yeah. I used my sand to reinforce mine."

Suddenly, realization struck the blond man.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to give me a cigar or something to celebrate?"

A stern glare from jade eyes speared the boisterous man.

"Nobody smokes around my daughter."

A laugh.

"Good answer. Well then, should we make some dinner for our lovely wives?"

A look of genuine terror took over the red head's face. His eyes went wide and he had to restrain himself from shouting his refusal.

"No dice. I've seen you cook before. I'll do it myself."

A pouting blond responded.

"Spoil sport."

About a half hour later two men in aprons walked back into the living area where the four girls were. They each were covered in flour and had smudges all over their faces. The taller of the pair took a step forward and bowed grandly.

"Dinner... is served."

The wives exchanged worried glances. Clearly they were both aware of their husband's cooking 'talents'. Dinner would be interesting indeed. Tentatively they stood. Moeko picked up little Ami while Hinata took Natsuki's hand. Slowly they walked into the kitchen where they saw, much to their surprise, what appeared to be a rather nice dinner. There were five plates filled with stir fry (Gaara's prized dish), and in the center of the table was a large bowl of jello that Natsuki was eyeing hungrily. Hinata was far from oblivious to where her daughter's eyes had focused, and she decided to head it off at the pass.

"Not until after dinner Natsuki."

She responded with vigorous nod and a "Hnn." but her eyes never left the jello.

Gradually they all took their seats, after the men had washed up first of course. Hinata and Naruto were seated across from each other with Natsuki on the end beside them. Gaara, Moeko, and Ami were seated in the same way on the other side. Dinner was eaten amidst friendly conversation. Hinata and Moeko had become best friends almost the same day they met. They were far too much alike to be anything else. They quietly talked about the goings on in their everyday lives, especially their daughters, as the husband's carried on across the table from them. Natsuki was busy playing with and eating her food, but she was still staring at that blasted jello. She was determined that it would be hers, and no one would stand in her way. Ami, on the other hand, had fallen asleep in her chair, her dinner would come later. All of a sudden Gaara asked a question that cut through all of the other conversation and sunk the room in to silence.

"So, how is my sister treating Shikamaru?"

Hinata opened her mouth to answer but Naruto raised a hand to silence her. He wanted to field this one.

"Well, I'll just say this. I'm not sure if the fan marks on his back will ever heal."

A chorus of laughter.

A/N: So um yeah. Gaara's firstborn has arrived. I figure she'll show up more later. Got to have the Natsuki Ami friendship stuff.

Dragon Man 180: Sympathy for the devil. I think that was a good title for that chapter. I don't know about the freed demons. We shall see.

Aloi-chan: Not really NaruHina, but some general warm and fuzzy stuff. Hope it worked for you.

hopeless-flame: A dork he is, but a sweet dork. As a jinchuuriki a tragic past is pretty much mandatory. Sucks eh? Haha Moeko stole your sand man.

RawD: I'm working up to it as you can see. They'll show up soon I promise.

RLnaruhina: Sleep good. I enjoy it. Glad my story hasn't started sucking yet. It will be a sad day when it does.

Jester12: You must be psychic. Child of Gaara there is.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Sometimes simple ideas are the best ones. I'm glad that I'm keeping your interest. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Ooo. A Lee pose. Nice.

madnarutofan: Danke. I try.

Jays Arravan. Glad you liked it. I think it was a different kind of sad. I dont think anyone really had an emotional attachment to Kurohai so it wasn't particuarly heart rending. Besides, it's pretty standard for a jinchuuriki to have a tragic past. Practically a prerequisiste. I read your fic. I didn't feel like registering to review it there so I'll do it here. It's quite well done (though the relationship is a little creepy) Im not sure about a 10 year old acting that way. It's a sweet little story though. Heart warming. Good work.

lunarangel (): Long and awesome as always. I'm pleased that I was able to tweak your emotions like that. It means that I did my job. I wanted to create sympathy for a character that was previously only known as crazy and evil. And a quick update it is.


	35. Windows

Windows

They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes. I think it's true and now it's the first place I look when I meet a new person. Anyone can keep their face expressionless but noone can change their eyes. They transcend all control you may have over yourself, and expose your true feelings to the world.

Neji was the first one to expose me to this idea, or at least the first person to use it so effectively. He taught me how to use it better but I think I always used it to a point. It's what kept me from hating people earlier in my life. It's what told me that Naruto was the one for me. It even told me that my father cared long before he would, or could, put into words.

I think that if more people took the time to look into others' eyes we could come to much better understandings. Given that, I decided to write down some of my observations and techniques. Maybe I'll turn it into a book someday. At the very least I can teach it to new shinobi.

I'll start it off with someone difficult, my friend Aburame Shino. How exactly do you analyze the eyes of someone that always hides behind a pair of dark sunglasses? Since most people don't have the byakugan I'll skip over telling you about looking through the lenses. The next step is to analyze the area around the eyes. How do the eyebrows move? How often are they blinking? (you can tell by the movement around the lenses if you're paying enough attention.) As you might expect both areas can tell you if the other person is nervous or lying. The more movement the more likely they are lying. That's certainly nothing profound, and you probably already knew that so I'll move on. The real purpose of this is to tell you how you can analyze a person's personality through their eyes. So this is what I can tell about Shino from his eyes. He is always calm. I have never seen anything get to him. His eyes always remain still and, as near as I can tell, facing forward. At the same time there is a touch of warmness to him, it is just harder to see than with most people. Whenever he is around people he cares about the rigidness around his eyes fades to nothing. He's complex but not too much so that he can't be understood. Don't be afraid to look people like this right in the face. They won't be insulted so long as you refrain from outright staring. If anything, they will respect you for being unafraid of them.

Next I will look into the eyes of Inuzuka Kiba. His eyes are feral to start with and can be a bit frightening at first glance. They make him appear to be quite ferocious until you look deeper. Behind their beastly nature is a clear undercurrent of friendliness. Like the dogs he associates himself with he is hostile to newcomers and his eyes almost seem to change colors to represent that. His pupils narrow angrily and he makes it obvious that if you do anything suspicious he will not hesitate to tear your head off. You should certainly be careful when you first meet people with eyes like his. I don't mean eyes that look just like his or anything like that. I just mean the type of eyes that visibly intensify when they notice you. Once you get past that and become his friend the look completely changes. Where a threat once was loyalty takes its place. He always looks right at you when you talk. It shows that he cares what you have to say. The first thing he does when someone he cares about comes back from a mission, or anything outside of the village for that matter, he looks them over to make sure they're unharmed. You can follow his eyes as they start at your feet and scan up your body to your head. He won't say anything but it's clear what he's doing as long as you're paying attention.

Next up is Konoha's resident lazy genius Nara Shikamaru. On the surface his eyes give off an air of apathy. This is just a front. In truth you can always see the thoughts flashing behind his eyes. The laziness is just a way to keep people from bugging him so he can be alone with his thoughts. He may feign disinterest in what the people around him have to say but his eyes tell a different story. He cares even if he doesn't like to show it. The instant you begin to talk to him you can see his pupils come in to focus. He's paying the utmost attention even as his mind runs through any number of complex thoughts. About the only emotion he'll express openly is fear, and that's only around Temari. The point is that you shouldn't be fooled by the facades that people put up. They're there for personal defense but they can be seen through if you put some effort into it.

My cousin Neji is next on the list. It was my observations on him that kept me from ever harboring any ill will towards him, even after he tried to kill me. I could see the hatred festering in his eyes, but it wasn't directed at me. Instead he was angry with the situation. His anger had no focus so it flowed freely throughout his eyes. If his real goal had been to kill me the hate would have concentrated near the center of his eye. I would say pupils if he had them, but anyone that knows about the Hyuuga clan knows they simply don't exist. Now when I look in his eyes the hate is gone. In it's place is a calm joy of life and a fierce determination. His eyes are never out of focus but they never darken either. They always remain the same pure white.

Gaara of the Sand is probably one of my favorite examples. No matter what the situation his eyes seem like they're laughing. Like there is some grand joke that the rest of us are missing. I hope someday he'll let me in on it. His eyes are amazingly complex. Even as they display their endless mirth they can show anger, love, surprise, and even a protective instinct. The only emotion I've never seen in his eyes is fear, at least not for himself. It makes sense when you notice how bright his eyes are though. The brightness shows a boundless confidence. He knows that he can take on the world if he has to. The fact that his eyes are a gorgeous emerald color just makes them all the better. That's not really an analysis of his personality based on his eyes. I just like them.

Of course, my absolute favorite eyes belong to my husband. They sparkle in a way that clearly shows his endless energy and his incredible joy of life. There's a depth to him that show that he's hiding some of his thoughts. He's a lot more complex than he will ever show. He doesn't want people to ever think he's unhappy so he never frowns. I'm glad I can see through it. That I can help him. The sadness used to lay behind his eyes all the time. Not anymore. They used to have a storm raging behind them, but now it's clear skies. The sun can't hold a candle to the brightness of his eyes. They brighten my day and anyone elses that look into them. His eyes show that he knows exactly where he's going, and that he knows how to get there. I have never seen anyone with more determined eyes. They beat back the darkness that stands in their way. They only show fear for others the same as Gaara's eyes, but they show it more intensely. If someone he loves is in danger he gets this look of absolute terror in his eyes. The amazing thing is what happens after the fear. His eyes go dark like a raging sea. I can't even imagine how scary it must be to be on the opposite end of a glare from those eyes. Only his worst enemies get it though. Not even Neji got it in the chuunin exam so long ago. The favorite thing I see in his eyes is love. It's always there, but I can see it more whenever he looks at me or Natsuki. He loves us. That's one thing I'm sure of. That's the only thing I need to know.

My daughter's eyes are the most pure and perfect I have ever seen. They pout but they never frown. They are clouds with the sun shining brilliantly through them. I can always tell when she's up to no good though. Whenever her eyes start to flicker from side to side I know something is up. I'll tell her about how she does that later. Until then it's convenient to know when I need to be on my guard. I love the innocence in her eyes. They don't know anything about the evils of the world, and I want to keep it that way at least for a little while. She can't stay naive forever, but she doesn't need to worry about it just yet.

It's interesting to me. I always hated my eyes. They looked so blank, and soulless, and ugly. I could never see anything in my own eyes. Maybe that's just the way it goes. It's always hard to look at yourself and see what others see. I did the only thing I could do in that situation. I asked Naruto. After what he said I'll never hate my eyes again. He told me he saw everything in my eyes. That the whole world seemed to exist inside of them. He said that he would gladly spend the rest of his life just looking into them. To him they look like pearls that shimmer in the light (the light that he shines I might add). He told me that everything he does is to see my eyes shine. And that the most beautiful thing he had ever seen was my eyes reflecting the moonlight. He always knows just what to say. Now I see the beauty in my own eyes. I think of them as pearls in the sea of his eyes. I roll in his waves and I give him direction. Existing together we find that this is the best it could ever be.

I hope that this will help you to look at people in a different way. Things are not always as they seem. What seems dark might be light. What seems sad might be just the opposite. A person's eyes will let you look deep into their soul and know what they are really thinking. There is only so much I can teach you about it though. You need to go out and see for yourself. I think you will be surprised by what you find out about people you thought you knew so well. Oh, and be sure to ask the one you love most what he or she thinks about your eyes. I promise you won't regret it.

A/N: Heart and soul, love and light, are going to make everything alright.

Aloi-chan: You better believe they're cute.

hopeless-flame: Ah but pain is funny. Ok ok, you're right. Just think of Moeko like a pre-Naruto Hinata. That's how I picture her at least. Hopefully, that eases your pain.

Danny-171984: Gah! That sucks. Are you trying to guilt me into writing that chapter or something? lol. Don't worry. I'll probably write it some night when I'm running low on ideas. It's good to have a break every now and then.

Dragon Man 180: Danke. Naruto's previous attempts at cooking may or may not have involved fire and very inedible food. Think meat turned into charcoal. I thought you would like the addition of another kid. I'm too nice. lol

Anime/Manga lubber (): No denying the fluff. How I keep going so fast? No idea. Insanity is the likely culprit. My brain hurts.

Jays Arravan: Most guys I know can't cook. I can't really expect two that were trained to be combat machines to be much better. I like ShikaIno as well, but I'm a bigger fan of ShikaTema. I also think there is more evidence in the actual story for it. Just my opinion though.

RLnaruhina: Hush up you. I'll have your soul if you mention my ineptitude again. mmm souls. Yes, subtle naughtiness. Boobies! Yay!

madnarutofan: I predict more random timeline jumping. The kids should show up more often than they have in the past though. I like Natsuki too much to cut her out.

ShinobiFighter101::shrugs: Don't worry about it. Welcome to the reviewers gang now though. Im amazed you didnt catch it though. Considering it's gotten bumped to the front page just about every day. That's right a chapter a day. I'm earning my pen name. Glad you like my Gaara. He's so much fun.

lunarangel (): I like the name as well. It's simple and sweet. A great name for a little girl in my opinion. Hey now, I had Gaara give the credit to Moeko for giving birth. Naruto was just empathizing. He understands that the women are the real heroes. Keep in mind that Hinata is a shinobi though, so her grip is just a little bit stronger. I mean she did crush his bones afterall. That would suck. I felt like updating quick. Is that good for you?


	36. Arrivals

A/N: Yet another new record for reviews on the last chapter. 13! Ridiculous. I thank you all.

Arrivals

"Banzai!"

That's what Gaara heard just before a six-year-old Natsuki landed on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands were currently busy holding his three-year-old daughter Ami or he likely would have caught his friend's daughter. As it was, he now had a small child dangling from his throat, and Naruto was laughing loudly at his predicament.

"Um, Naruto can you grab your daughter? She's kind of choking me."

Without ever stopping his laugh Naruto walked over and scooped Natsuki into his arms. Now free from the youngest Uzumaki's strangle hold he turned back to his friend. Natsuki hopped out of her father's grip and began to run in hyperactive circles around the two men. Ami was not unaware of the other girl's actions. Endearingly, she motioned to her father to let her down so that she could play. The red-haired man was unable, as always, to deny his daughter her fun, and he certainly didn't have any reason to at the moment. He knew that Natsuki would take good care of her. At least as good of care as a six-year-old is capable of.

"How have you been my friend?"

The blond shrugged as he closed his eyes in an exhausted manner.

"Busy. Having a kid is so much work."

Gaara motioned back over his shoulder to the playing girls.

"I am well aware." He paused for a second before continuing. "So, when is she due?"

"About a month. She's really starting to freak out a little bit. I don't know why. She didn't do anything like this when she was pregnant with Natsuki." He sighed slightly before speaking again. "Anyways, how long are you three staying?"

"Two weeks. I figured it would be a good opportunity to spend some time with Temari while I'm here. Kankurou is running the village while I'm gone."

Naruto nodded his understanding.

"Sounds like a plan. Do you want to round up the gang and head on over to their house? I've given them a vacation since I knew you were coming."

A smile overtook Gaara's face.

"Let's do it then."

Gracefully the two kages snuck up behind their daughters as they kneeled, making drawings in the sand. With inhuman speed they darted up to them and swept them into their arms as the girls giggled the whole time. Gaara bent his head down to kiss his daughter's forehead.

"Come on. Let's go get your mother and visit your aunt Temari and uncle Shikamaru."

The white haired girl virtually sqealed with excitement. She really loved her aunt, and while she didn't really understand her uncle he was always interesting to be around. Natsuki shared her adopted sisters excitement at visiting two people she considered family (though she got to see them far more often than Ami did), but she refrained from squealing. The four made their way inside where there wives were sitting on the sofa and talking. Naruto plopped himself down next to his Starshine, his daughter still in his lap.

"We're going to go visit Temari and Shikamaru. Do you want to come?"

"Of course I do. Would you get my shoes for me?"

Naruto gently set Natsuki on the floor.

"Natsuki, go get your mother's shoes for her."

The pale white blue eyes of the young girl proceeded to glare at her father, but she did as she was asked. Still glaring, she brought the shoes into the room and placed them in front of her mother. Hinata eased the tension when she reached out and mussed her daughter's hair.

"Thank you Tenshi."

Natsuki smiled the smile her mother loves so much. It meant as much, and made her feel as good as Naruto's smile. Gently she slipped her shoes on, and with some help from her loving husband, stood. Then she took her husband's arm and they were on their way.

It wasn't far to Shikamaru's house, and even with Hinata's pace being slowed by her pregnancy they reached it in under ten minutes. Gaara stepped up to the door and gave it a gentle rap. Temari opened the door and immediately dove at her brother whom she hadn't seen in months. Still clinging to her younger brother she called out to her husband. Shikamaru arrived at the door shortly after. He had long since learned that when Temari asked him to do something it was much easier to just do it than it was to argue with her about it. His eyes opened wide when he saw who was at the door. He never would have guessed that Naruto was there by how soft the knock was. Someone must have beat him to the door. Quickly he made his way over to his young niece who was standing next her mother's legs and hoisted her up into his arms.

"Hey there Ami. And how are you on this fine day?"

"I'm good." she said as she hugged her uncle around his neck, iliciting a smile from the normally expressionless shinobi.

He normally didn't like little kids but he loved his niece and Natsuki, whom he considered his niece too. He couldn't help but wonder if he was losing his mind. He found he didn't care as the girls grip on his neck tightened. Gently he squeezed her back. He turned to her proud mother who was beaming at her daughter.

"How was your trip?"

She smiled sweetly even as her eyes avoided direct contact, instead remaining fixed on little Ami.

"It was fine. Gaara used his little sand cart trick to get us here quickly. The trip would have been much worse if he couldn't do that."

Shikamaru chuckled slightly.

"I guess it's a good thing Shukaku is pulling his weight eh?"

Moeko was just about to answer when she was interrupted by Naruto.

"Can we take this inside? I wan't to keep Hinata off her feet as much as possible until the baby is born."

Shikamaru just nodded and walked toward the house while still carrying Ami. Temari and Gaara noticed the group going inside and decided to follow. They could catch up inside. Once they were all seated Gaara was the first to speak.

"So Shikamaru, how has my sister been treating you?"

A look of horror struck the ponytailed man's face.

"Um, I think it's in my best interest to not answer that question." A slight pause. "I'm just kidding. She treats me fine. I'm not dumb enough to marry someone who wouldnt right Temari."

Temari shook her head. She had grown used to her husband's dry sense of humor, but she was still going to make him pay for it later.

"I guess so, but I would have forced you too if you hadn't asked me."

They had had this discussion before. Shikamaru knew it was best to just end it now.

"Yes dear."

The others couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. Well, except for Natsuki and Ami. They didn't hear the conversation. They were far too busy playing behind the large easy chairs Temari and Shikamaru were seated in.

At the moment Natsuki was trying to teach Ami some fighting stances. It was hard work. At three she simply didn't have the coordination to fight yet, but she was willing to try. Natsuki was her idol after all. Who doesn't look up to their big sister at that age? After a while they gave up on that particular endeavor, and Natsuki set about teaching her some other games.

Eventually the group ate dinner and Naruto, Hinata, and Natsuki left. The visitors from the sand would be staying with their direct relatives on this night.

And so it carried on for nearly the whole two weeks they were scheduled to stay there. The adults would talk and reminisce and laugh, while the children would go off on their own to play. Occasionally the men would join in the children's games. Gaara would make structures of sand for them to play in, Naruto would take them for high speed rides around the city, and Shikamaru would do shadow puppet shows for them while the other two provided the voices. It was during one such play on the day before the three were supposed to leave when it happened.

Temari called from the house.

"Naruto come quick. Hinata's going into labor."

Quickly Naruto dashed into the house, where his wife was on the couch breathing heavily. Without a word he lifted her into his arms and made his way out the door. Once he was outside he began to bark some orders to the other men.

"Gaara, make something to carry her to the hospital with. Shikamaru, go find Sakura and tell her to hurry."

With a nod they both did as they were told. As soon as Naruto set Hinata on to the bed of sand Gaara had made they began to sprint to the hospital. Temari and Moeko were left in charge of getting the kids there and they followed shortly behind.

In moments they arrived at their destination, and as soon as the hospital staff noticed what was going on, they were taken to the birthing area. A couple minutes later Sakura arrived in the room. It was clear by the redness of her face that she had gotten here as fast as she could. She quickly took charge of the situation, instructing those around her on what to do.

"And as for you Naruto, you already know what to do."

He nodded as he took his wife's hand, being sure to reinforce with as much chakra as he could. Hinata breathed heavily as the pain increased, her eyes screwed tightly closed. Naruto whispered quiet encouragements in her ear. In twenty minutes it was almost done. Sakura called out one last order.

"Almost there Hinata. Just one more push."

With one final effort it was over.

"Congratulations, It's a boy."

Hinata slumped back with exhaustion, as Sakura lifted the baby to clean it.

"Hinata you are the luckiest mother I have ever seen. You deliver faster than anyone else. It's amazing."

The small girl could do little but smile weakly as she strained to see her newborn. After a moment the baby was cleaned, its chord was cut, and it was wrapped in a towel and handed to its beaming mother.

"He's beautiful."

Naruto rested his cheek against his wife's head as he looked at his new son. kanai

"Yeah."

Hinata gently snuggled her baby to her chest.

"What should we call him?"

He kissed the side of her head softly, as he brushed the hair from her face.

"I was thinking we should name him Kanai."

A nod and a smile were all the answer he needed. Tenderly Hinata stroked the side of the newborn's face.

"Welcome to the world little Kanai."

A/N: And so was born the second of Naruto and Hinata's children. I don't know if there will be anymore but he is certainly the second. By the way, as near as I can tell his name means "perfect love" I could be very very wrong. If I am you should probably tell me so that I can change it. Thanks.

Aloi-chan: Who better to describe them than Hinata? Thanks for the compliments. I tried very hard to keep her observations in character.

hopeless-flame: Sweet like honey. mmm honey.

Shukido-chan: I hope that I was able to make your days less crappy. I don't know how much of a trouble maker shes going to be but she does have miscievous tendencies like any little kid. I love eyes. They're my favorite feature about myself and so many others. Give it a try. I think you'll like the answer you recieve.

RawD: I'll assume that's a good thing.

Jays Arravan: Quick. It's what I do. I type about 120-140 words a minute. If I focused more I could write a lot faster. As it is it takes me about 4-5 hours to write a chapter usually. But I'm always doing a lot of things as I write. The first date will be covered eventually, don't worry about that. As for Konohamaru and Hanabi, yeah I know they get paired together quite often. To be frank I don't like Konohamaru. Until I see him as a not irritating little kid I'll continue to feel that way. I think him and his group of friends are the worst characters in the series. Oh well. Hanabi will likely show up though.

Expired Doughnuts (): Don't worry about it. I don't expect everyone to comment on every chapter. It will continue. That last chapter was just an idea I wanted to use. A change of pace from the norm.

Dragon Man 180: That would be interesting. What does a sharingan hold? I might do a follow up with the rest of her friends but I dont think it will be as interesting. The characters I covered this time are the ones I consider to have the most shrouded emotions, or the most interesting ones. I'm glad you enjoyed it though.

madnarutofan: Much thanks. Eyes rock.

BeautifulStruggle: Welcome to the raging hobo reviewers gang. I'm glad you're enjoying my work so far. I do believe this chapter encompasses both of your requests to a degree. Strangely enough this is what I had already planned anyways. Oh well. Thanks for reviewing. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Great! I'm very glad you enjoyed it. And yes I did know that. I've tried to make that an undercurrent throughout the whole story so far. This is just the chapter that focuses on it the most. I mean look back at the first chapter and what I did with it there. Trust me. The eyes area is one place everything I do is intentional from the title all the way to this chapter.

MissxRae: Welcome to the reviewers gang. I'm very pleased you like it. Please do keep reading, and whenever you feel like it reviewing. Thank you. Keep reading. Keep loving.

RLnaruhina: Pleased I am you enjoyed that chapter. Much thought put into it was. YAY POLISH!

Danny-171984: Yep, I'm a deep thinker. Wee. Natsuki will continue to develop as we go. I'm glad you like her.

nonengel: Yeah, you've been missing out. Don't worry. I can't write every chapter like that. It's almost as hard as writing a fight scene. Phew.


	37. A New Age

A/N: A threat has been placed against authors like myself. Those of us who like to answer are reviews are to be hunted down and persecuted. I ask you to support us in our endeavor to end this travesty. If you want to help us please e-mail me (its in my profile) with your site name and the email address you use for the site (you have to be registered for this to work. We are forming a petition to try to stop this idiocy. Please save your beloved raging hobo. He loves you so. Thanks in advance for your help.

Now for the fun notes. Timeline info. Naruto and Hinata were 21 when Natsuki was born and 27 when Kanai was born. Ami is 3 years younger than Natsuki and is thus 3 years older than Kanai. You should be able to figure out everyone else by that. Also, all of the chapters where none of the children are not mentioned in any form they are to be assumed to not be born yet. If you have any further questions feel free to ask, and hopefully my story will still be around to answer them.

A New Age

"Naruto-kun!" A semi-distressed Hinata called out.

Casually, the named man strode into the room.

"What's up?"

She pointed, directing her husband's gaze toward the chandelier. There, swinging from the light by his legs, was the youngest Uzumaki. His pupiless blue eyes shone with glee as his ash blond hair with faint red streaks hung below him. Naruto raised an eyebrow at what he saw.

"And how exactly did he get up there?"

Slender arms crossed in front of the small girl's chest, her lips contorting slightly to express her displeasure at the situation.

"You tell me. He's _your_ son after all."

Naruto lifted his hands up in front of him defensively.

"Hey now, he's your son too. He certainly didn't get those eyes from my side of the family."

Hinata shook a fist at him jokingly.

"Darn you and your infernal logic. Anyways, can you get him down from there?"

The blond shrugged as he positioned himself underneath his wildly swinging son.

"Hey Kanai. Get down from there."

The small boy met his father's eyes with his own matching blue ones. He giggled cutely before releasing the light fixture with his legs. He executed a flip as he fell and before his father caught him.

"Kanai, in the future could you not do that? You might break the chandelier, and those things are expensive."

Hinata slapped him on the back of the head for his joke. He rolled his eyes.

"Ok ok. And we don't want you getting hurt."

The young boy pouted in his father's arms.

"I wouldn't get hurt."

His eyes rolled again. Kanai was proving to be a bit more of a hanful than his sister. He was just as much fun to be around though.

"We know you can take of yourself, but it would make us feel better. Ok?"

Reluctantly, the little blond boy nodded. Naruto mussed up his hair in thanks.

"Good boy." He gently set his son on the ground. "Now go get ready. You want to look good for your fourth birthday party don't you?"

Kanai nodded excitedly and ran off to change. The guest list for his party was a virtual who's who of his favorite people. The fact that his list was pretty much the same as his parent's was just gravy. All of Naruto and Hinata's classmates would be there, as well as their teachers, and of course the group from the sand. Kanai hadn't really made any friends outside of the group yet, but he didn't seem to mind, he enjoyed hanging out with his sister. Naruto chuckled as his son sprinted up the stairs. He reminded him so much of himself when he was young. Hinata laid her hand on his shoulder, breaking him out of his thoughtful trance.

"He's so cute isn't he?"

He placed a calloused hand over his wife's soft one.

"He certainly is."

It wasn't long before Kanai was making his way downstairs again. Only this time he had on a pair of khaki shorts and a white button down T-shirt with the Konoha sigil on the left breast. He wasn't walking down the stairs on his own either. Instead he was receiving a piggy back ride from his older sister. Natsuki loved her little brother. She played with him all the time. Of course, being his big sister, she also liked to torment him a little. A point she proved when as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs she dropped him on his butt. He got up gingerly, rubbing his sore rear end. For a moment he acted like he was actually hurt before he launched himself at his sister's legs, trying to knock them out from underneath her. The only problem was that the six years older Natsuki had just graduated from the academy at the top of her class. She was more than prepared for her brother's assault and pushed him lightly on the top of the head, causing him to trip and fall on the floor. Before he had a chance to get up she had grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back. Then she lifted him up by his arms and laughed.

"Nice try little bro, but you're a few years too late for that one to work."

Kanai grumbled angrily as his sister marched him into the kitchen where their mother was. She gave him a gentle shove that sent him stumbling forward.

"He's all set Mom."

"Thank you Natsuki."

Hinata wiped her hands on towel by the sink and turned to face them. Her lavender eyes shone brightly when they saw her little boy. She quickly rushed over and knelt down in front of him.

"Well aren't you cute?"

He pouted and crossed his arms in front of him. His mother just smiled sweetly at his antics.

"Handsome. I meant handsome."

He nodded his approval at her revised compliment. Then there was a knock at the door. Naruto got their first with Kanai arriving shortly after. With a flourish, the elder Uzumaki threw open the door, revealing their family from the Sand. The seven-year-old Ami was the first one through the door, quickly gripping the little boy in a bear hug. Her father and mother followed her through the door shortly, sporting a huge grin and a shy smile respectively. Gaara made his way over to Kanai and messed up his hair some.

"Happy birthday."

Moeko was next, and after getting her daughter to relinquish her grip on him, she placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Happy birthday Kanai-kun"

He smiled, blushing slightly from the kiss.

"Thank you."

Unbeknownst to Kanai, Natsuki had been signalling to Ami the whole time. Suddenly, his sister was upon him, wrapping her arms around him and pinning his to his side. Ami took the front and grabbed his legs. Together they hoisted him off the ground and began to carry him to the living room as he struggled and yell the whole time. The adults exchanged knowing glances as they followed behind them. When they arrived they were unsurprised to see the two girls teaming up and tickling the young boy until he was gasping for air. Gaara and Naruto smiled broadly as their wives hugged them from behind and watched their children play. They all concluded that they needed to get together more often.

It went on like that for a while. The parents talked while they watched their children playing rowdily on the floor. Being the only non-ninja in the room Moeko watched them a bit more closely. She still wasn't used to the idea of kids that were very hard to hurt. It wasn't long before the others began to arrive. First it was Shikamaru and Temari with their one-year-old son Seifuu. Then it was Neji and Tenten with their six-year-old daughter Bishou. They were followed shortly by Ino and Chouji.

It was when Tsunade arrived that the commotion started. Before she could even walk in the door Natsuki and Kanai were upon her, clinging to her legs as tightly as they could. Tsunade couldn't help but laugh at her grand kids' enthusiastic greeting. They were most definitely Uzumaki. Steadily she walked into the living room with the two kids latched on to her legs. When she had made it into the room she lightly tapped both of the kids on the neck with a finger that glowed with green chakra. Immediately they lost their grip on her and fell to the ground. Tsunade always did like that jutsu. It made a person's limbs go numb for a second. It was generally used to escape a strangle hold, but it worked quite well on loving grandchildren too.

Not long after their former jounin sensei's arrived. Kakashi was the same as ever except for a couple of wrinkles around his eyes, oh, and the addition of the lovely Kurenai to his arm. Nobody knew when it had happened, but everyone seemed to like the idea. If nothing else she made sure he didn't show up too late. Gai and Asuma followed close behind, and after a glare from the parents present Asuma put out his cigarrette. For his part Gai hadn't changed at all other than his bowl cut now sporting a few gray hairs. He was still the loudest and most enthusiastic man around, still spouting off about the power of youth. Everyone had learned to accept that though; and most of them were quite skilled at ignoring him.

Sakura and Lee showed up a couple of minutes after the senseis with their nine-year-old son Tsuyomaru at their side. It was strange that he had inherited his mother's pink hair, but it kept him from ever trying to cut it like his father had used to, which was something everyone was thankful for. Truth be told, he carried it off quite well. Ordinarily someone would look extremely feminine with pink hair, but he somehow managed to remain quite masculine, at least for a nine-year-old.

Within the next couple of minutes Kiba arrived and then Shino. Their wives were both members of their clans so the others weren't particuarly familiar with them. As such they decided to take missions that day. Someone had to do the work while everyone else was having fun. Hiashi and Hanabi got there a couple minutes later. They weren't about to miss their beloved Hinata's son's birthday. The fact that he brightened up any room he was in was a good reason too. Jiraiya would not be attending this particular party. He said that he was going to get as much 'research' in as he could while he was still young and able. Everyone questioned his use of the terms 'research' and 'young' but he didn't seem to care.

Not long after everyone arrived they sat down to dinner. It passed by relatively uneventfully except for an errant meatball that soared over the adult table from the kids' table. If the adults had been paying more attention it's likely they would have spotted the culprit. As it was though they all just glared as the kids laughed wildly. A warning was administered but that was all. No point in punishing all the kids. They weren't in the mood for it anyways.

After dinner the cake was put on the table and Kanai was set in front of it. The cake was rather impressive. It was three layers, and each one was a different flavor with a different type of frosting. The first was yellow with chocolate icing. The second was chocolate with vanilla icing, and the third was vanilla with strawberry icing. The cake was tall enough that Kanai actually had to stand on his chair to blow out the candles. This was after they sang "Happy Birthday" to him, his sister having her arm around his shoulders the whole time. When they finished she told him to blow out the candles and make a wish. Carefully, so as not to tip his chair, he stood, and after taking a deep breath he blew out the candles. Cheers erupted from the people gathered and Kanai grinned toothily at all the attention.

Soon after it was time for the presents. Tenten and Neji were up first. Excitedly, the young boy tore at the paper. When it was gone he opened the box to reveal a set of kunai. His eyes went wide. Tenten smiled at his reaction.

"I made them myself. They're just like the ones I made for your sister on her fourth birthday."

He thanked them profusely before moving on to the present that was handed to him by Sakura and Lee. He quickly ripped it open to expose a box with many games in it, most of them designed to challenge the mind. Obviously Sakura had picked this gift out. Lee had wanted to get him his first set of weights. Sakura knew he was too young for them yet though. He looked at their gift, clearly confused, but he thanked them politely anyways. Sakura had expected that though. She knew he would like them when he tried them, and Hinata was obviously pleased by them. Next up was the gift from his aunt Hanabi and his Grandfather. They had gotten him a formal kimono. They knew it wasn't a gift that he would like, but he needed one anyways. Besides, he would look good in the little black and silver number. He hid his disappointment as best as he could and thanked them as sincerely as he could. He had yet to develop any sort of understanding of the Hyuuga family and their traditions. They knew it would come with time. Ino and Chouji presented him with a box of homemade candies next. How Ino managed to stay thin living with Chouji was beyond anyone's understanding. Kanai liked this present very much, as any little kid is bound to do. Ino warned him though.

"Don't eat them all at once, and be sure to share them. You don't want to end up looking like him do you?" she said as she thrust her thumb at her husband.

Kanai's blue eyes opened wide with fright as he shook his head vigorously. An action that did not go unnoticed by Chouji.

"Hey!" he shouted with no shortage of indignation.

Shikamaru and Temari were quick to quell the situation by giving him their present, a scroll that when activated would create a gentle breeze wherever you were. They said that it would be good for all of the training he was bound to be doing on hot days. Tsunade gave him her gift next. Actually she gave him two of them. In the first box was a replica of the orange training uniform that Naruto had worn when she first met him (sized down to fit the smaller child of course), which earned a lot of laughs from those around that remembered it, and in the second box was a reversible training uniform. It was white on one side and black on the other. The white side would be good for draining during the day when the black would be too hot, and the black side would be ideal for use at night. Hinata glared at her mother-in-law. She was not looking forward to cleaning the white side at all. She had to admit that he would probably look very nice in it. Shino had gotten him an ant farm, claiming that it would be a valuable learning tool. All of the ants were dead in under a week. Lesson learned; if you don't give your ants food or water they will die. Gaara and his family had given him a small pile of sand. He looked at with a very confused expression on his face. Gaara just smiled knowingly.

"Touch it and think of a form."

Kanai did as he was told. He was surprised when the sand immediately took the shape of what he was thinking of, in this case, a spider. He knew he was going to have some fun with this one. Each of the jounin sensei's promised to help him train whenever they could. Quite the deal considering the range of their expertise. Of course, they did the same thing for Natsuki too. It was good to be the child of the Hokage, especially one who was so well loved by those around him. Kiba was the last one to give his gift, since Naruto, Hinata and Natsuki had given him their gifts earlier (A full training set along with a promise to begin his shinobi training as soon as he wanted. Natsuki had gotten him a pair of fingerless gloves, something she had found quite useful when she began her training.) Casually Kiba strode to the front door, and after he opened it he whistled. Within moments a small black dog bounded through the door, and straight to the excited little boy. Rapidly it began to lick his face as Kanai laughed playfully. Naruto and Hinata had known it was coming since Kiba had asked them earlier if it was ok, but they were still very pleased with the result.

After a while it grew late and it was time for everyone except Gaara and his family to leave. The adults again sat and talked as the three children played on the floor between them. Eventually, it grew late and it was time for them all to go to bed. The kids decided that they would all sleep in the living room. what kid doesn't love a sleep over?

Morning came and Gaara and Naruto were already up. Quietly they went downstairs. The red-haired man chuckled at what he saw. There, in the middle of two girls who were clutching him like a teddy bear, was Kanai, a big stupid grin on his still sleeping face.

"It seems that your son is quite the ladies man."

Naruto laughed.

"Of course he is. He's an Uzumaki."

A/N: Well there you have it. I anticipated a demand for more Kanai and decided to head it off at the pass. The fact that I got to include the other kids in there too was just gravy. Ah yes more terrible translations by your local hobo. Seifuu means "quiet wind", Bishou means "beautiful laugh", and Tsuyomaru means "to become strong."

Dragon Man 180: You and your love of kids. You may feel free to consider these chapters dedicated to you. I hope you like Kanai as much as you like the girls.

Aloi-chan: Just maybe he will.

Kell: Welcome to the raging hobo reviewers gang (damn I love saying that). I'm so happy you're enjoying my story. And enjoying it enough to say it's one of your favorites. Yay! Anyways. Keep reading. Keep loving.

BeautifulStruggle: That it does. Funny how that works out. The comment about her pregnancy being different was just a thing like she's having more cravings and she's more moody and cautious this time. I hope my timeline above helped you with the ages. I've noticed that too. What can I say I just wanted to give him a daughter first. I've already got a plan for his son though.

Firedude328: Your review has inspired me. 1 letter reviews rock!

Danny-171984: I don't know how busy 2 kids in 9 years of mairrage is, but ok. Feel free to look up my translation on kanjisite dot com. Kan - ai are the pieces.

Jays Arravan: The strangling was cute. I can see it so well (and have experienced something like it). Shikamaru just doesn't like to fight. He also likes to take the easiest path. With Temari that just happens to be doing as she asks most of the time.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Hell yes I do. This thing is very hard work. Makes me tired.

hopeless-flame: I'd rather have someone do the voices enthusiastically rather than ol' apathetic Shikamaru. Natsuki is a good big sister for the most part. She loves the little brat.

RLnaruhina: Very interesting indeed. Yes, I very much want to avoid getting yanked. I draw too much attention to myself with my constant posts. I'm worried. POLLOCK POWER!

ShinobiFighter101: Glad you like the name. Hinata is just lucky. The fact she's a trained med nin probably doesnt hurt either...

pups4u34: Resolutions are very important. If they aren't there you're left feeling empty. If you could draw the kodachi Tenten gave Hinata for her 20th that would be sweet. I would appreciate it muchly. I didn't remember but I hope you like the newest Uzumaki. Hopefully, my story can ease your pessimism some, since it pretty much always looks on the bright side of life. Both sides exist. It all depends on what side you want to see. You can still affect change as a happy person. See wrong, live right, stay happy, make change.

madnarutofan: Sweet! happy reader happy hobo.


	38. Thorns

A/N: I get disappointingly few responses to my request for help on the petition. When over 200 people read each of my chapters I expect more than 2 people to try to help. I understand that many of you are busy, and that maybe some of you don't trust me (though I have no idea what I could do with your e-mail address and site name) but please, if you want me to continue writing, help me out here. In the end, I hope that the reason I got so few responses was that you have signed the petition elsewhere. Thanks to those of you for whom that is the case.

Also, the request is still out for fan art. It has a new aspect now though. An incentive if you will. If you send me a drawing I will write a chapter to go with that drawing. Sounds good ne? And I will still create a site to post any art that I get. So um please? I really do want to see what you can do.

One more thing. There might not be a chapter tomorrow because of exhaustion. Fair warning.

Thorns

This was it. The moment that she had spent the past three months preparing for. It was true that others had volunteered for this mission, but in the end she was the one who was best suited for it. There were some who were stronger than her (though not many), and some with better assassination techniques, but there were none who could match her balance of strength and stealth. This mission required both of those in spades.

The mission was to eliminate the leader of a hidden village. The village was the Hidden Sound. The leader was Yakushi Kabuto, the former right hand man of the now dead Orochimaru, and a traitor of the leaf. He was strong. Perhaps not as strong as the kages of the main hidden villages and certainly not as powerful as Naruto or Gaara, but he would be a difficult fight for almost anyone. One doesn't survive long as the leader of a village without being strong, especially not one with as much internal strife as the Sound.

It had been exceedingly difficult for her to get this far. She had had to sneak into the village, avoiding detection the whole time. Her byakugan had been very helpful in this endeavor. Being able to see through walls had allowed her to know when it was safe to advance, and allowed her to strike targets from around corners when they just wouldn't get out of her way.

Stealth was one of her specialties though, and it had gotten her this far with relatively little difficulty. Now he was within her sights, and she was waiting for the most opportune moment to strike down this despicable man. This man who had betrayed his village. This man who had served one of the most evil men ever. This man that was now plotting to once again try to bring down the Leaf. This man that had nearly killed her Naruto-kun. Normally she detested actually taking someone's life. If there was any way that she could end a fight without ending a life she would take it. This time was different though. There would be no escape for him. He would die for his misdeeds, and he would die by her hands.

He sat in the dimly lit main hall of his headquarters. His chin rested in his palm as he stared off into space. His grayish-white bangs hung loosely in front of his eyes. The lenses of his glasses reflecting what little light was available. It seemed like he was contemplating something. Hinata couldn't help but think that it must be something about his conspiracy against the Leaf. Suddenly he chuckled. Steadily it grew in volume until it echoed throughout the chamber. And as quickly as it had started, it stopped. Without turning his head, he spoke.

"You can come out now. I know you're there."

Plan one: Stealth, had failed. Abandoning that, she charged from her hiding place. Reaching the chair Kabuto was seated in under a second, she thrust the kodachi she had recieved from Tenten through the back of it. He was surprised by her speed and power, if had been any slower in exiting his seat he would have been impaled on the blade that now existed where his heart had just been. Without wasting a movement she pulled the blade from where it was embedded and rushed at her opponent again. He was ready this time, as the green chakra glowing around his hands attested. She was more ready this time as well. As she ran she brandished the kodachi in one hand, drawing the hilt back behind her head with the point facing the spectacled man. As soon as she was within range she drove the tip towards his throat. His reaction time and movements were flawless as he used the fingers of one hand to push the blade away and too the ground. He stepped on the edge, ripping the hilt from her hands. He snapped back upright attempting to backhand her in the face. With ultimate grace she arched away from the blow, linking that into a backflip she kicked him in the chin. Her hands hit the ground in such a way that her right hand was back on the handle of her kodachi, and with him no longer standing on it she carried it back up with her. And then she was back on her feet, a confident smirk on her face. Kabuto was up again as well and he used his thumb to wipe away a trickle of blood that had escaped the corner of his mouth. He cocked his head to the side, cracking his neck in the process. He returned her smirk.

"It seems I have underestimated you."

She lowered herself into a ready position as he spoke. Realization dawned on his face, and he pointed his finger at her shaking it slightly.

"You. I know you. You're Naruto-kun's wife aren't you?" His smile broadened. "This could be fun."

Her pale eyes narrowed in anger even as the veins leading to them bulged with increased chakra flow.

"You have no right to use that name."

He quirked an eyebrow in amusement.

"Ooo, touchy. And just what do you plan to do about it?"

Actions spoke louder than words as she charged him again, kodachi in front of her ready to strike. He attacked first this time, lunging forward and to the side or the outstretched weapon. He aimed a punch at her face, green chakra blazing. It missed by under an inch as she deftly moved her head to the side. His fist hit her hair, but apparently the chakra scalpel has no effect on hair. Quickly she brought her kodachi around, forcing Kabuto to roll out of the way. Unlike the chakra scalpel the kodachi does work on hair, as was evidenced by the few grayish-white hairs that slowly floated to the ground behind the blade. Kabuto was fast to regain his feet and turned to face the lavender-eyed girl that was already running at him once more. This time she led with her open palm, and knowing how dangerous the gentle fist style is if it connects he dodged nimbly to the side. It was not, however, nimble enough to dodge the blade that was arcing towards him now, at least not completely. The razor sharp steel cut sharply into his arm. It wasn't a deep cut, but it was long and it was bleeding profusely, not to mention that it hurt a lot. Swiftly he ran his palm over the wound, sealing it closed with an infusion of healing chakra. He winced slightly as he did so. Healing always hurt, but it was much better than leaving an open wound. Hinata was not about to just let him take the time to heal though. Quickly she set upon him again, swinging her sword with practiced movements as she thrust her palm forward between swings. Kabuto found that he was only able to dodge the strikes without any opportunity to attack back.

Eventually he was able to put some distance between himself and the very angry kunoichi. They both stood facing each other, breathing heavily. He had a few nicks and cuts on his body from the onslaught but nothing that was worth wasting chakra on. They could wait for later. He silently reached into a pouch at his hip and pulled out a small pill. Casually he popped it into his mouth and swallowed it. Hinata's eyes went wide at what she saw. Almost immediately the chakra in her opponent's body nearly doubled, some of it coming off of him like wisps of fire. He grinned as he pulled a kunai from it's holster, twirling it cooly around his right index finger.

"Well, it's been fun, but I think it's time we end this."

Hinata crouched, preparing for the assault she knew was coming. She was barely in position when he dashed forward. His kunai approached her head in a high arc, only to be met by flat of her kodachi. With his free hand he tried to punch her in the gut, but she was well aware of the danger that came with the chakra scalpel and pulled her stomach back out of range. This action left her off balance though, and that was all the opening Kabuto needed to plant his foot into her unprotected chest. The blow sent her careening backwards, slamming into a pillar that cracked under the impact. She winced as she slid to the floor. She was far from done though, and was quickly back on her feet. Kabuto was right next to her as she stood, jabbing her left bicep with his blade of chakra. The muscles were cut clean through and Hinata yelped at the pain. The pain did not cause her to lose her concentration and she quickly leapt to the center of the room. She sheathed her kodachi and used her newly free hand to stitch the muscle back together with the help of a wave of warm green chakra. Behind his glasses Kabuto's eyes opened wide with surprise. She smirked at his reaction.

"You're not the only med-nin around you know?"

Kabuto just shrugged before renewing his attack. She was much more prepared this time. When he was within five feet of her he suddenly drew her kodachi and began to spin.

"Kaiten!"

The whirling blue chakra combined with the razor sharp steel was devestating. The blade cut deep into his abdominal muscles even as he was flung back into one of the room's many pillars. Unlike when he had been fighting with Naruto he had not had the time to focus chakra into his stomach to regenerate from the injury. And so he sat, slumped against the pillar, rapidly gathering the chakra into his hands to heal himself. He didn't have the time. Hinata was upon him before he had a chance to even begin healing. Fiercely she plunged her kodachi through his right hand, pinning it to the ground. He cursed his stupidity for not expecting that attack from her. He had been so angry that she had healed herself that he ignored all that he had learned about the Hyuuga fighting style. Defensively, he swung his left arm around. If he could get her to back off for a moment he could still have a chance. No luck. She caught his wrist mid swing with her left hand, and then used her right hand to jab at the tenketsu in his arm, effectively ending his ability to move it. She shook her head at the now helpless man before her.

"You should never have threatened Konoha again. We were going to let you live."

She tapped him lightly above each eye, disconnecting the flow of chakra to his eyes and eyelids. They slowly slid closed, not that it mattered since he was blind for now anyways.

"Now sleep."

She pulled back her right hand, palm open. All of a sudden she slammed it forward into his chest, directly above his heart. All the regeneration in the world doesn't matter if you can't get the chakra where it needs to be. And so ended the life of one Yakushi Kabuto, head of the Hidden Village of the Sound, traitor of the Leaf.

A/N: Hinata as an beat down artist. You wanted it. You got it.

Dark16: Welcome to the raging hobo reviewers gang. Glad to have you on board. I'm oh so happy that I've earned a convert with my little ball of nuttiness. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Dragon Man 180: The dog's name is um something. I'll come up with it later. And the sand doesn't need Gaara around to function. It's infused with his chakra.

Jays Arravan: I'm liked greased lightning. What's the mistake? I looked it over and couldn't find one. Glad you liked the kids names. I put a fair amount of thought into them.

Aloi-chan: You know the Uzumaki's are studs.

thestoneox: Thanks. And more there shall be. You didn't miss it. I didn't write a chapter where he tells her about the Kyuubi. I'm not entirely sure I could do anything different than what everyone else has done. Then again, maybe I can...

hopeless-flame: I want that gift too. I would play with that all the time. I have plans for Kanai. He's no more perverted than Naruto. Take that as you will.

Firedude328: Fair enough.

Madnarutofan (): The kids are fun. I enjoy writing them. They expand the story nicely too.

RawD: Kanai good times. I hope so too. If they do I'll have to re post it sans responses, and thats no fun.

ShinobiFighter101: They are indeed threatening us like that. I dont know why, but they are. Don't know why it says that (others didnt have a problem) anways it's sullaaar at msu dot com . Thanks for your help.

Anime/Manga lubber (): It makes the world turn. In the end reviews equal happiness for everyone.

kirarahinoneko: Welcome to the reviewers gang. I'm very pleased that you're enjoying it. It's nice to know we have the same ideas about Gaara. He's a nut job but a funny and friendly one. The kids names are mentioned in the authors notes at the end of the chapter this is true for all of the kids except Natsuki and Ami because I didn't make those up myself. Instead I got those from outside sources. I tried very hard to remain true to how they are in the real story. Glad you feel ive succeeded. And I took the name from other fics too so I can't get upset about you using it. It's the natural abbreviation anyways. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Danny-171984: Everyone loves a party. Sake at a 4 year olds birthday party though? Seems a bit iffy. Age/time jumping is something you shoudl have grown to expect by now. It helps me keep the ideas flowing by not restricting me. I haven't forgotten about your request, and I'll probably get around to it eventually. I just don't feel like it right now. I've got other ideas to use at the moment.


	39. More Than Diplomacy

A/N: It seems I was wrong about the being too tired to write today. My plans got cancelled. Well, they got moved to tomorrow. So I doubt a chapter will appear tomorrow. There will be another chapter up as soon as I retype it from the laptop. I'm so good to you people.

More Than Diplomacy

This was not Kanai's ideal. Nobody really wants to be around their mother all the time, but that's just how it was for the youngest Uzumaki. As soon as he had graduated from the academy he was assigned to his mother's team. It was deemed that she was best suited to teach him what he needed to know. She had been teaching him since he turned four, along with his father of course. She was the best practitioner of the jyuken fighting style around, with the possible exception of her cousin Neji and sister Hanabi, but they both had other duties.

Hanabi was a member of the anbu and Neji was, in fact, in charge of training the anbu along with Rock Lee and an elemental jutsu specialist by the name of Sarutobi Konohamaru. He had finally made a name for himself aside from being the grandson of the Sandaime Hokage.

The other reason she was the one who was best suited to train him was her vast experience in working with those who possessed demon chakra. She had trained with Naruto, and trained Natsuki and Kanai for many years. As such, other than those two people, she was the paramount source for knowledge on demon chakra users.

None of this meant that Kanai had to like the idea though. He was thirteen now and already a chuunin. Normally this would mean that he would be leading his own missions, but this was not a normal situation. The mission they were on was a diplomatic one to the Sand. And who better to serve as diplomats to the Sand than members of the Hokage's family?

The reason for the mission was the return of one of the sand's most dangerous missing nins. He had attempted to kill the Kazekage, and failed miserably, but he still managed to get way with his life. The Sand had sent a message to Konoha to be on the look out for a man with spiky black hair and a metal claw on each fingertip.

An anbu team had happened upon him in the woods while in the course of their normal rounds. They had immediately recognized him from the description they had been given (how many people wear claws after all?) and engaged him right away. The fight was a difficult one. Anyone who could escape Gaara's wrath alive was bound to have great skill. He was not, however, skilled enough to defeat three of Konoha's elite unaided. Within five minutes he had been brought down, but not before he had seriously wounded one of his opponents. Fortunately, the wound was nothing that the head of Konoha's hospital, Haruno Sakura, couldn't handle, even though the claws were tipped with poison. Unfortunately though, they were unable to bring him back alive. They had hoped to be able to interrogate him, to at least extract his motives for attacking the Kazekage. In the end it didn't matter, at least they had stopped him.

They were tearing across the desert now, kicking up huge clouds of dust behind them as they ran. If it wasn't for the chakra he had inherited from his father he never would have been able to keep up with his mother's pace. As it was, she was still going a lot slower than her maximum for him. She knew that his stamina was phenomenal, as was true of all of the Uzumaki's, but his speed wasn't up to the elite level her's was just yet. That was the reason his dog Hishin had been left at home. Even as a nin-dog there was only so long he could keep up with this particular pair. She looked back to check on how her son was.

"Need a break yet?"

He shook his head in the negative. He was tired, but he didn't want to stop until they had reached their destination.

"How much longer?" He shouted forward to her.

"About an hour if we keep going at this pace."

He groaned inwardly but nodded his understanding. He was eager to get to the Sand. He missed the people he knew there very much.

It wasn't too much longer before they arrived, and they stopped just outside the gates. Kanai instantly bent over, placing his hands on his knees and breathing heavily. Hinata walked over to her son and patted him on the back lovingly.

"Good work. I must say I'm impressed by how much you've grown."

He didn't respond. He was far too busy sucking in air as he struggled to bring the burning in his lungs to an end. She patted his back again before removing her hand and walking towards the gates. Kanai followed behind shortly. They reached the gates and Hinata flashed a patch that was sewn inside of her vest to the guard. He recognized it right away as the private seal of the Kazekage. Anyone who wore the patch was to be allowed instant access to the village

Dutifully, the guard opened wide the gates. Before they had even taken two steps inside Kanai was tackled by a blur with bright white hair. He lifted his head off the ground and looked down at the girl clinging to his chest.

"Hey Ami."

She lifted her sparkling emerald eyes to meet his, a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Hey."

He raised an eyebrow. She seemed different than he had remembered. It had been six months since he had last seen her, but he didn't think she could change this much. All he could think as she looked up at him was how pretty she was, and how much he had missed her. Strange. He felt his face contorting into an awestruck grin. Quickly, he regained his composure, slapping his 'cool' face back on. He was regretting what he knew he had to do next.

"Um, Ami?"

"Hmm?"

His heartbeat increased dramatically at the sound of her voice.

"Could you, um, let me up?"

Her eyes opened wide with the realization of what she had been doing. A crimson blush spread across her cheeks. Quickly, she jumped to her feet, covering her embarrassed smile with her right hand.

"Sorry."

He pulled himself up off the ground, dusting off his pants as he did so.

"It's ok."

Hinata stepped between them.

"I hate to break up you two love birds." Both kids' faces broke out into deep shades of red. "But we have a delivery to make to your dad that I would like to take care of as soon as possible."

Ami's sense of duty took over. She gave a sharp nod and turned around, causing her white hair to splay out behind her.

"Come on. I'll take you to him."

And with that they were off. Within a couple of minutes they had reached the home of the Kazekage. Ami opened the door and called out.

"Dad! We have visitors!"

Gaara appeared at the top of the stairs, sporting his trademark friendly smile.

"Welcome my friends. What brings you to my home unannounced?"

Hinata pulled a scroll out from her pouch, holding it up for him to see.

"We have a gift for you. I remember you saying you were having some trouble with a missing nin."

He nodded in agreement.

"Well, we took care of it."

Gaara's expression immediately turned more serious. He turned his back and beckoned them to follow.

"Come. Show me."

Hinata turned to her son.

"Kanai, you and Ami go wander around town or something. I'll take care of this."

The blond boy was not a fan of his mother's decision, but he knew better than to try to argue with her about it. His mother may be a quiet and kind person, but when she made up her mind about something no one was going to change it. He spun to face the door, opening it and taking a step outside. He was completely unprepared for what happened next. Ami, being the little bundle of energy that she is, jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. With any other girl he would have complained, not this one though.

Meanwhile, Hinata followed Gaara to a back room in his house. Once they were inside she opened the scroll and rolled it out on the table in the center of the room. She bit the tip of her thumb and used the blood to paint a red streak down the center of the scroll. She then slammed her palm down on the center of the scroll. A puff of smoke covered the table. As it dissipated it exposed a body, a headless body to be exact. The head was lying just above it with its mouth open and its eyes closed. Gaara examined the body closely.

"This is him alright."

Hinata nodded.

"Our anbu found him in the woods outside of the village."

"Your anbu do good work." He said, noting the clean cut through the man's neck.

The blue-haired girl nodded again. They made their way out of the room again. Gaara would call his village's anbu to handle this.

"Thank you for your help."

"There's no need to thank us. We're friends. It's what we do."

The pair quickly fell into old habits. Sharing friendly banter back and forth. Gaara laughed suddenly.

"It seemed like my daughter has taken a liking to your son."

Hinata smiled sweetly.

"I think the feeling is mutual. Why do you think I brought him?"

The red-haired man quirked an eyebrow at what his friend had just said but decided not to question it. They took up residence on the living room couch and had a long conversation about what was going on in each other's lives. They were in the process of discussing future plans when their kids came through the front door, laughing loudly. Gaara looked over at them.

"Have fun?"

Ami answered for them.

"Yeah, it seems that even with the number of times he's been here he hasn't sampled our local cuisine."

Hinata stepped in.

"Well, we'd actually like to talk with you two about that."

The kids adorned matching looks of confusion. Gaara decided to handle it from here.

"Kanai, how would you like to stay with us here for a few months?"

The blond boy barely managed to keep himself from shouting.

"Are you serious?"

Both parents nodded in unison. Kanai glanced over at Ami who was watching him expectantly. She smiled brightly when he met her eyes. He faced the adults again.

"Well, if it's ok with you, I would love to."

Hinata smiled broadly, as she chuckled softly.

"Then it's settled. I'll send Hishin over with the next mission we have that comes this way. He's bound to enjoy the new smells."

Kanai laughed. He knew his dog was going to go nuts sniffing everything around the village. He might be a nin-dog but he was still a dog. His mother continued.

"And this way I won't have to go so slow on the way back so you can keep up."

He glared at her. Normally he would have done more but he was too happy right now. The melodious laughter coming from the girl at his side didn't hurt either. Yup, he was going to like it here.

A/N: Hint hint wink wink. That is all. Also Hishin roughly means "fire heart".

holyknight: I opened a interrogant with chapter 37? I have no idea what that means. His blue pupil less eyes is just a combination of Naruto's blue eyes and Hinata's byakugan. The way a clan like the Hyuuga works they would most likely inbreed. This would provide for their eyes all remaining white. Introduce new genes though... Also, note that Natsuki's eyes are light blue instead of the normal byakugan color. It's just something I decided to do for appearance.

Dragon Man 180: Yes, yes she does. She disabled his eyes because it's unnerving to have someone watching you when you kill them. Thanks for your intended help with the signatures. I appreciate it.

Aloi-chan: Request granted.

Jays Arravan: Thank you very much. Ah, I see the error now. That type of thing isnt unusual in the slightest. Even authors that take much longer to publish make mistakes like that. I'll take care of it eventually.

Shukido-chan: Ah my loyal Shukido-chan. Thank you so very much. Hey, if I inspire you to try harder, then I can consider myself a success. Good luck on your story. The offer shall remain as long as I'm writing this story, maybe longer. So don't worry about the time frame.

Shadowlink777: It will keep going as long as I can keep coming up with new ideas. Given how whacked out my mind is that should be quite a while.

madnarutofan: You better believe he tries not to get her angry. She's a butt kicker if Ive ever seen one.

ShinobiFighter: Thanks, but you don't know until you try. If you write something I promise that I will read and review it. Good incentive I think. Don't worry about me. I'm not tired of writing, just physically tired. At least I will be after my day tomorrow.

RawD: Thanks, I'm inclined to agree with you. I love this chapter. Fluff will return though.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Someday this fic will end, but it wont be today, and it wont be this month even. It probably wont even be next month. I wont stop until I run out of ideas or I'm physically incapable of continuing. The hobo rages on.

RLnaruhina: Hobos do good beatdown ne? I love the kodachi. I want one quite badly.

Danny-171984: Darn right she does. I knew what you meant about the sake. I just felt like giving you a hard time. It would still be weird to have sake at a child's birthday party.


	40. Family Time

A/N: This is the second chapter of the night so be sure you read the one before this first. It will help you understand what the hell is going on. Also the petition is still going on. Send me your site name and e-mail address to me because you love me and you dont want my story to get booted. C'mon people. Is that so much to ask?

Family Time

"So it's the brat's turn to spend some time in the Sand is it?"

Hinata glared faintly at her eldest child.

"You really shouldn't call him a brat. At the very least because he's sixteen now."

Natsuki chuckled lightly. She had expected this reaction out of her mother.

"It doesn't matter how old he gets. He'll always be my bratty little brother."

The family patriarch emerged through the doorway.

"You two talking about Kanai again?"

Natsuki rolled her pupilless pale blue eyes.

"Mom is scolding me for calling him a brat again."

Naruto laughed.

"Well he did give you quite the run for your money in your last fight."

That was it, she snapped.

"He cheated! He would never stand a chance in a fair fight!"

The blond raised a hand, dismissing his daughter's objection.

"And what exactly is fair about a fight between shinobi?" He shook his head slightly. "It's your fault for not paying enough attention to notice that you were starting the fight against a shadow clone."

She growled lightly at her father who was barely containing his mirth. His response was to wrap his arm around her neck and lightly knuckle the top of her head. She yelped softly before breaking into open laughter as she tried to break out of her father's grip. This was one of her favorite things about her dad. He was always goofing around. No one could put a smile on your face quite like he could.

Eventually she got free, though it was probably because Naruto relented than any product of her own efforts. She was strong. Nobody could deny that. But her dad, well, he was the strongest ever. If he didn't let you win, you didn't win. That's just the way it was. Gradually her laughter subsided, fading into a deep sigh.

"I still can't believe he and Ami are dating."

Hinata approached her daughter from behind and lightly draped her arms around her shoulders.

"Is it really that big of a surprise?"

She leaned her head back into her mother's chest, sighing again.

"No, but it feels weird having my little brother dating a girl that I consider my little sister."

Her mother nodded in agreement, as she looked upside down into her daughter's eyes.

"I know, but they sure are cute together aren't they?"

Natsuki closed her eyes, smiling softly.

"Yeah."

As much as Naruto loved listening to his two favorite women talk, he was tired of remaining silent. He decided it was time to add his two cents.

"You should have seen Kanai's face when Gaara told him what would happen if he ever made his daughter cry." He said with a laugh.

The women joined in on the laughter, but Hinata's was slightly tinged with sympathy for her youngest child. She remembered how Gaara was when she first saw him, and just how scary he could be. Still, she knew that he wouldn't really hurt her son, at least not too much.

Natsuki turned to face her wildly grinning father. He really did love his jokes.

"So, how long is he supposed to be gone this time?"

He took a seat next to her, lacing an arm around both her and his wife.

"About three months. And then, assuming he hasn't screwed it up, she'll be coming to stay in the Leaf for a while again."

Hinata slid between the two of them, wrapping them into a tight hug.

"It's so quiet around here without him."

Naruto chortled softly.

"Is that a bad thing?"

She tightened her grip around her husband's neck, causing him to flail his arms comically.

"Ow hey! Ok! Alright! I'm going to miss him too."

Hinata loosened her grip on Naruto's airway, before placing a tender kiss on his temple.

Suddenly, Natsuki rose from her seat, smiling broadly. Her parent's looked up at her questioningly. Naruto spoke.

"Now I know you're not that happy that your brother is gone, so what's up with you?"

Her grin grew even larger, a faint blush tinting her porcelain cheeks.

"I've got a date."

Hinata's pale eyes widened with surprise.

"Oh? With whom?" She paused for a second. "Oh! I know! I'll bet it's with that nephew of Shino's. He is quite handsome."

Natsuki crinkled her nose at the thought.

"No, it's not him. He's nice enough, but he's just not my type."

Her mother nodded understandingly.

"It's the bugs isn't it?"

She had little choice but to laugh at her mother's comment.

"No. That's not it. The bugs don't bother me. I've been around the Aburame clan long enough that I'm used to it. I meant what I said. It's just not a good match."

Hinata shrugged, then another idea struck her.

"What about Kiba's nephew? He's quite a bit more refined than most of the people in his clan. I mean they're all very good people, but they do live with dogs all the time."

She trailed off, as Natsuki shook her head 'No'. Naruto decided to end it before it carried on too long.

"Hinata, stop. It's Lee and Sakura's kid Tsuyomaru."

Natsuki's jaw dropped.

"I'm right aren't I?" He said with a smug smile adorning his face.

"H-how did you know?"

He tapped his temple lightly with his index finger.

"I know my family, and I pay attention. I'm not the Hokage for nothing you know."

Fiercely she placed her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at her giggling father.

"Have you been spying on me?"

Naruto gasped theatrically, grasping the sides of his face with open palms.

"Me! Spy on you! I'm appalled that you think I would do such a thing."

Natsuki rolled her eyes as she shook her head, chuckling faintly at her father's antics. He never did grow up all the way, but neither of the women were sure they wanted him to. He just wouldn't be the same without his boyish outlook on life.

With a final wave she was out the door, leaving her parents to whatever boring activity they had planned for the night. Hinata moved the rest of the way behind her love, lacing her arms around his neck and resting her cheek against his.

"We're all alone again."

He smiled and closed his eyes. Lightly, he pressed his face firmer into hers, reveling in the warmth she gave off.

"Yeah."

She returned his pressure, tightening her grip on him.

"I'm tired. I think we should go to bed."

Naruto nodded dumbly.

"It's only seven so I think I'll stay up a while longer."

She raised a hand to grip his cheek, turning him to face her.

"I said, I think _we_ should go to bed."

His cerulean eyes squinted before suddenly opening wide in realization.

"Ohhhh, right. I'll be right there.

A/N: I wonder how many of you guessed this one was coming. I'm mighty impressed if you did, since the clues I dropped, at least about Natsuki and Tsuyomaru, were miniscule.


	41. Revelations

A/N: Petition status on drawing status on I forgot to add in a bit about Kanai's dog so I went back and changed chapter 39 a bit. Go back and read it if you care. It's not much. Just a couple of sentences.

Out of curiousity and because it will help guide future chapters I would like you all to tell me who your favorite OC is. I would also like to know which name you like best, but that's just for my own use. They are Natsuki, Kanai (perfect love), Ami, Kurohai, Moeko, Shikamaru's son Seifuu (Quiet wind), Neji's daughter Bishou (Beautiful laugh), Lee's son Tsuyomaru (To become strong), or Kanai's dog Hishin (Fire heart).

By the way. I have set a goal. I want to write at least 100 chapters for this story. I hope I will continue to get all of your love and support through to the end. Thanks!

Revelations

The blond boy sighed deeply as he leaned back against a tree that stood in the middle of a large field of dandelions. He had spent the day wandering through the village. Everywhere he went he felt their icy stares on his back. He told himself that they didn't bother him anymore, and most of the time he believed it. His argument didn't seem to hold water today though. He knew why they hated him. In a way he even understood it. If he was in their situation he wasn't sure that he wouldn't hate himself too. It didn't matter though. There was nothing he could do about it now. They wanted him dead, and if there was one thing he wouldn't do for them it was die.

Dull blue eyes turned up to watch the gray clouds as they passed slowly overhead. A wry smile tugged at his lips.

"It seems the sky feels the same way as I do today." He mused quietly to himself.

He sat and stared as the clouds grew darker. It was going to storm, he could tell. He wasn't going to move just the same. He had some thinking to do and this was as good a place as any to do it. A little rain wouldn't hurt him. He was just thinking that he would actually like it if it rained when a single beam of sunlight burst through the clouds. His eyes opened slightly wider as his eyes met the light at its origin. Slowly he followed it down to the ground. There, standing in the middle of a shaft of pure white, was the woman he had recently asked to be his girlfriend, Hyuuga Hinata.

He didn't know how long she had been there, but as soon as his eyes met hers she started making her way over to him. He watched silently as she approached, each step she took closer seemed to warm his heart. He didn't smile though, and that worried her. He always smiled when he saw her. Something was wrong, and she had a pretty good idea what it was.

She arrived at his side, looking down into his deep blue eyes that held so much love, and at the same time, so much hurt. She bent over and gently moved his arms from where they were wrapped around his knees. Crouching further, she sat down in his lap and leaned against his chest.

"What's wrong?"

Naruto laced his arms around her, pulling her tighter into him.

"Nothing. I'm just not feeling well."

She wasn't buying it for a second.

"It's the villagers again isn't it?"

She felt him go rigid beneath her, his grip tightening even further.

"I see them staring at you and muttering to each other."

His heart began to beat violently in his chest. She could hear it pounding in the ear she was resting on him.

"I don't know what is wrong with them. It's not your fault."

He began to pull in deep shuddering breaths. He was hyper-ventilating.

"They don't know you at all. They all just think you're the demon."

His body stilled but his grip remained tight around her. He laughed uncomfortably.

"W-what are you talking about Hinata? What demon?"

She snaked her arms around him, pulling him into a loving hug.

"It's ok. I already know."

He curled himself around her, placing her chin on the top of her head. This was not at all how he expected it to go. He didn't expect her to be angry at him or anything, but he also didn't think she would be this accepting. He also thought that he would be the one to tell her. He was somewhat relieved that he didn't have to.

"How?"

Her hands began to trace slow circles on his back. He relaxed a bit under her touch.

"I figured it out. There were just too many clues for it to be a coincidence. The red chakra, the way your appearance changes when you use that chakra, the way people look at you for no good reason, the fact you were born on the same day the Kyuubi was supposedly killed, and what I see with the byakugan. No one has chakra pathways like you do. Add it all together with the seal I can see on your stomach and there's no other logical conclusion."

He took a moment to take in all she had just said. He hadn't been ready for this at all. She could feel him breathing into her hair. Suddenly, he chuckled lightly.

"I don't suppose I should be surprised that you figured it out should I? You always have been the smart one. Does anyone else know?"

He felt her head shake 'no' against his chest.

"Good. I'm not quite ready for that yet."

She nodded. Then his mind started to go wild. He didn't want to ask her, but he knew he had to. What if he didn't like the answer? Could he live with it? Gradually he calmed himself. It would be ok. She was still here wasn't she? He decided to go for it. He closed his eyes in preperation.

"Hinata?"

"Hmm?"

He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve.

"Um. I hope you understand, but I have to know. Are you ok with it?"

She turned her head so she was looking up into his cerulean pools. They were brighter now, but still not like normal. She smiled at him and watched happily as they brightened some more.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He kissed her. Her answer couldn't have been any better. It was exactly what he needed to hear, exactly when he needed to hear it. She really was perfect. He already knew that, this just confirmed it for him. He glanced down to where her face was buried in his chest. Her breath was soft and warm against him. This was it, everything he ever wanted. Who needs to be Hokage when you have the one and only Hyuuga Hinata? He found that he didn't care if anyone else accepted him anymore. One was enough, just as long as that one was the small girl in his lap. He gently stroked her blue hair with a calloused hand.

"I have no idea."

A/N: Well it was a long time coming but here it is, the revelation chapter. I think I did it in an original way and that's very important to me. At the very least I don't remember reading any stories where she found out this way. It ended up being shorter than I wanted it too. Sorry. I'll try to make it up to you in the next chapter.

Dragon Man 180: Yeah, I like them. I think the missing nin was probably a little weaker than a sennin. Quite the beat stick but still no match for a trio of anbu. He was misinterpreting. Even though hes older now he's still pretty dense. Innuendos slip past him easily.

Aloi-chan: The ending wasn't what I was asking how predictable it was, but yeah, it should be by now. Glad you like Kanai and Ami together. It's one of the few things I actually planned ahead for.

RawD: Haha. Good work then. I applaud your observational skills. Or perhaps I made it fairly obvious?

Jester12: Kanai upsetting Ami. That would be a fun chapter to do. hmmmm...

Jays Arravan: Family and fluff. Two of my favorite things. You need to worry less about my spelling errors/word omissions. I'll take care of them eventually. There were more for 39/40 though because I had to copy them over from the laptop and I was trying to go as fast as possible. Well, they're fixed now.

Danny-171984: Ami is 3 years older than Kanai. Not a big deal in shinobi land if you ask me. They're relationship should be a blast. I'm going to love writing it almost as much as I love NaruHina I think. In chapter 40 Hinata and Naruto are 43. I guess that's fairly old, but they age well. I think I'll put in something about that too.

Anime/Manga lubber (): Haha. I love them too. Especially Kanai and Ami.

hopeless-flame: Who can resist an Uzumaki's charm? Not even the child of Gaara apparently. You didn't see SakuLee coming? Huh? I even mentioned it outright in the chapter about Hinata's birthday party. Naruto is just dense. Always will be.

RLnaruhina: Yay indeed. I always listen to the word "bed". Makes my ears perk up like a dogs. I'll get to Tsuyomaru eventually. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with him yet though.

madnarutofan: Hey, Naruto has made the first move a few times. Hinata's seductions tend to just be a bit more dramatic. I can't wait to see what happens with 2 demons combining with the byakugan. Here comes your new god.

ShinobiFighter101: Glad you like the pairings, even with how little is known about Tsuyomaru. I hope he doesn't mind being weaker than his girl, because there's now way he's going to beat her. Don't worry about the e-mail, I'll just get it off your profile. Thanks for your help.

pups4u34: Meatball HO! Happiness. It's what I do. Good luck with the drawing. I certainly hope you can find a way to show it to me. the Hinata/Kabuto fight scene is one of my favorites yet. The mental images it made for me are simply fantastic. I hope I conveyed them well enough for you to see what I saw. Everyone grows up fast when you do timeline jumps like a psycho.


	42. Break Ups and Make Ups

A/N: Well people you knew it had to happen eventually, but there will be a break for a few days while I don't have internet access. I will be at my dad's and then moving into my new apartment. Next chapter won't be until friday or saturday at the earliest. oh and DOES ANYONE READ THESE THINGS!

Break Ups and Make Ups

"Get back here you punk!"

Kanai just kept running. He had no desire to die, and he was fairly certain the red-haired man behind him would kill him if he stopped. He almost couldn't believe the situation he was in. Gaara had told him that he would kill him if he ever hurt his daughter but he had just shrugged it off. He had no intention of ever hurting the beautiful white-haired girl, even before he was told the consequences. He wasn't even sure what the big deal was. In his mind he hadn't done anything wrong. He wanted to at least tell his side of the story, but the crushing sand that was following close behind wasn't allowing for much of an opportunity.

The wave of sand crushed a roadside cart that he had just ran by. Never before had he been so thankful to have his father's ridiculous stamina. There was no way he could have outrun Gaara this long without it. He should have knocked on wood. Just as he finished his though a tendril of sand wrapped around his leg and pulled him off the ground. This was it. He was done for. He cursed his ill luck. There was still so much left for him to live for. He needed to do something, anything, to try to get out of this.

"Wait! Let me explain!"

The sand turned him upside down and slowly began to spread around his body. Its controller slowly walked up to the hanging boy until he was eye to eye with him.

"You have thirty seconds. Make them count."

Blue eyes went wide as he fought to keep from stuttering over his explanation.

"It wasn't my fault!"

He could feel the sand tightening around him. This was bad. He needed to hurry up.

"I would never do anything to hurt Ami!"

The pair of angry emerald eyes before him got even closer.

"She saw you kissing another girl."

Kanai grimaced at the memory.

"No. She saw another girl kissing me. I didn't even know her."

The sand loosened around him as some of the hate faded from the Kazekage's eyes.

"Go on."

He took a deep breath, the first since he had been caught, and prepared to explain.

"I was out getting some food when I heard a group of girls whispering and giggling behind me. I activated my byakugan to take a look and I saw that they were pointing at me. They didn't look like they were dangerous so I just went back to eating my meal. I turned when Ami came in and I was just about to say 'hi' when one of the girls grabbed me and kissed me. Before I knew what was going on Ami started crying and ran away. By the time I got outside she was gone. I was looking for her when you found me."

The sand receded from his body but it still held him upside down by the ankle.

"Well, I guess we should go see what she has to say about this. If she doesn't like your explanation though..." He trailed off.

Kanai's heart fell. He really really hoped that Ami would believe his story.

It wasn't long before they found her. It turns out that she had gone home and straight to her room. When the opened the door she was lying face down on her bed. Gaara spoke from the doorway.

"I brought someone who has something to say to you."

She didn't raise her head as she spoke into her pillow.

"I don't want to talk to him."

Kanai was growing desperate. He hated seeing her unhappy, and the idea of his impending demise wasn't helping either. He started to plead with her.

"Ami, please. Just let me explain."

"NO! Just go away." She sobbed.

The sand that still held him aloft move him closer to the bed. He turned his head to look at the man controlling it.

"Gaara, could you put me down? I promise I'm not going to run."

The red-haired man shrugged as he released the sand. Kanai had to act quick to avoid dropping on his head. He managed to get his hands out in front of him and roll to the ground. He ended kneeling next to the small girl's bed. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder only to have her shrug it off.

"Ami, I'm sorry. It wasn't my fault."

She turned her head towards him, emerald eyes blazing with anger.

"Don't lie! I saw you kiss her!"

He closed her eyes to avoid meeting hers.

"You saw her kiss me. I don't even know who she was. I think it was some sort of bet with her friends or something."

Her anger faded for a moment before returning with just as much intensity.

"And why should I believe you?"

He cast a glance over to Gaara who was still standing in the doorway. Gaara took the hint and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. Kanai turned back to the prone girl. His heart ached at the sight of her tear-stained face. He hated hurting her. He made a silent vow to himself to do everything he could to never do it again. Gently he reached up and rubbed his thumb along her cheek.

"Because I love you, and I would never _ever_ hurt you on purpose."

Slowly she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again the anger was gone. She smiled slightly at him.

"I believe you."

Kanai bent over and draped an arm over her back, resting his head on the back of her shoulder.

"Thank you."

Her tiny frame shook slightly as she laughed.

"I'm still going to find that girl and show her who she's dealing with."

Kanai pitied that girl. It was an extremely bad idea to make Ami angry. She had a tendency to overreact.

"Oh, and Kanai?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you too."

He smiled and tightened his hold on her shoulders.

Outside the door, Gaara smiled. It seemed like everything was going to be alright.

A/N: Fun chapter. Angry dad. Make up. Yay!

Dragon Man 180: Yeah. I love my kids. They're just plain fun. Maybe they did figure it out. I haven't covered him revealing it to them yet. I'll do that eventually though.

Aloi-chan: One vote for Natsuki has been tallied. Um, you're the only one who actually cast a vote. Lazy bastards.

randomguyhere (): Excellent. I'm glad you're enjoying my insanity. And if I can even make you feel good, that's just a bonus. Feel free to go back and review your favorites. I would like to hear from you about them. Keep reading. Keep loving.

RawD: New? Yay! I'm cooking up an explanation for how they age or don't even as I write this. Huzzah!

warprince2000: Thanks. I've updated almost every single day up until now. I hope that's fast enough for you. If it's not um screw you. haha. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Jester12: Everyone needs some cute in their life. Makes the world all sun shiny.

madnarutofan (): All the kids duke it out to be kages. Fun.

Danny-171984: Yeah. I love the crazy little girl. I needed to handle the revelation different than the norm. It's a requirement for my nuttiness. I hope it worked for you.

pups4u34: Sweet. Good fluff happy. The point is the slant type which is traditional japanese style. the point is much more chinese in nature. Well I really do hope you find a way to send me the picture. It would make me happy.

RLnaruhina: Unique is always good. Ok, not always. But its better if you can write it well. Hopefully, I did that.

hopeless-flame: Naruto is Naruto. A perfect explanation. You smile I smile. Glad I could make you happy.

stranger (): I hope you made it all the way here from chapter 12. Thanks for reviewing my insanity. As for Chouji... um well I just don't really care about him. I didn't forget about him. He's just the least interesting of the group for me. And since I wanted the fight to be one on one for the most part he got cut. He shows up sometimes, but it's a minor role. Sorry. I just don't have much love for the fat man.


	43. Starshine

Starshine

A/N: A several day break of posting chapters does not necessarily equal a several day break from writing. Here comes 3 chapters all at once. Yay for me.

Starshine

He couldn't help but marvel at her. The way she moved. Her powerful, graceful strikes that could end a man's life in an instant, but he would die with a vision of beauty burned into his mind. The way she seemed to glow in the moonlight, the pale light shining off her deep blue hair. Every now and then her eyes would catch the light, the effect would cause his breath to quicken and his heart to skip a beat.

He loved these nights. There was nothing else he would rather be doing than sitting and watching the small woman he called his Starshine practice under the moon. She didn't know he was there. He didn't think she needed to. He knew full well that she liked her time alone anyways. This was her meditation, her way of finding internal balance. He couldn't think of any good reason to interrupt her.

He watched as she spun, throwing punches at imaginary opponents. She back flipped out of the way of a phantom weapon, landing crouched and ready to defend herself from any further attacks. The invisible man to her right took a double- palm strike to the chest, blasts of chakra issuing forth from both of her hands. Naruto winced. He almost felt bad for that one. There was no way he would be getting up again if he was real. And then she drew her kodachi. He smiled as the moonlight glinted off the golden foxes that weren't covered by her hand. She held the blade in front of her face and the steel reflected a line of light on the ground before her. And then she was off again. Wildly spinning, and slashing, she cartwheeled through the air with movements that flowed like water. He sighed longingly when, after one particularly intense set of attacks, she stood perfectly still, her hair spilling in front of her eyes. He felt a tugging at his heart, beckoning him to abandon his hiding place, sweep her off her feet, and brush her hair out of her eyes. Before he could act on his urges she was on the move again.

His breath caught in her throat as she executed a particularly impressive kaiten. The blue light of her chakra illuminated the clearing all the way to where he stood in the shadows. She sheathed her weapon and turned to face him, a small smile on her face.

"And just how long have you been there?"

He took a step out of the shadows so she could see him better, an admiring grin gracing his lips.

"Since the beginning."

The walked to each other in silence, allowing their faces to say what words cannot. Without a sound they met, each taking the other into a loving embrace. Hinata looked up into his perfect blue eyes as he gazed down into her white ones that mirrored the moon. Sweetly she smiled before standing on her toes and kissing him softly on the lips.

"The situation as changed a bit from when we were young hasn't it?"

Naruto laughed at her comment.

"I had no idea what I was missing."

She snuggled closely into his chest, taking a deep breath of the smell that was purely his.

"It was nice, but I like this much more."

Naruto pulled her tighter to him, lowering his face to bury his nose in her hair.

"Me too."

Suddenly she jerked away from him, a look of mild horror on her face. He responded with an expression of startled bewilderment.

"What's wrong?"

She glanced down at the snow-white gi she had been using to train, the front of which was soaked through with sweat. She looked back up to him with a look that seemed to say 'How could you not notice this?'.

"I'm all sweaty and disgusting. I can't touch you like this."

"You know I don't care about that." He said as he took a step towards her and tried to reclaim her in his arms.

She backed away quickly, arms in a warding position.

"No!"

His arms dropped to hang limply at his sides, his face clearly showing his dejection.

"Why not?"

Hinata smiled sweetly, attempting to console her disappointed husband.

"I just don't want you to have to feel me like this."

Naruto just sighed and shook his head confusedly.

"Fine. I guess it doesn't matter if I don't care, does it?

She just smiled and laughed.

"Not one bit Handsome."

A mischievous smile spread across the lips that Naruto wanted so badly to kiss.

"I think I might have a solution to our problem Naruto-kun."

A blond eyebrow rose questioningly.

"And what might that be?"

Hinata lowered herself into the traditional jyuken fighting stance.

"Work up a sweat yourself and maybe I'll get over my little vanity."

Naruto laughed as he raised his arms in readiness, his palms open and facing forward.

"Ok, but go easy on me. I don't feel like getting hurt tonight."

In response she activated her byakugan and glared at him.

"Are you making fun of me?"

He dropped the rest of the way into his stance, bending slightly at the knees.

"Only a little."

And with that they were off, moving with such speed that they would appear to be only a blur to the normal human eye. Flashes of blue appeared whenever Hinata would throw a punch.

Anyone able to see the two as they darted around the clearing was in for a real treat, as the most powerful shinobi ever squared off with his wife, quite possibly the strongest kunoichi ever. Hinata started off the fight by aiming a punch directly at her husband's heart, knowing full well he would be able to dodge it, and if for some reason he didn't, she would simply not expel any chakra. He caught her wrist as it neared and pulled lightly, causing her to spin into his arms. He grinned roguishly as he bent down and attempted to place a kiss on her forehead. His attempt was thwarted as she kicked off the ground, propelling her back over his outstretched arm. She landed gracefully on her feet facing her frustrated husband.

"Nice try Fox boy."

A wry smile was his only response, before he took off again. Out of nowhere he threw a lazy punch at Hinata's chest. It never connected because the pale-eyed beauty twirled out of the way, tapping Naruto's forearm and closing a tenketsu. The blond glanced over at his smirking wife before a small burst of red chakra erupted from his arm, reopening his closed chakra hole. Then he disappeared, reappearing behind the blue-haired girl with his hands on her hips. With a quick movement, he tossed her into the air. She rapidly gained her balance mid-flight, turning a series of tight flips before she landed. The instant her feet touched the ground she dashed at him again, palms forward and ready to strike. Her first strike with her right hand was blocked by Naruto's index finger in the center. The second missed wide left as he darted inside her strike. Deftly he placed a leg behind her knees and pushed her shoulders lightly. She stumbled clumsily over his outstretched leg before recovering into a back handspring. Without ever halting her movement she reversed direction, executing a front handspring with the intent of planting her feet into his chest. Naruto caught her ankles before her feet made contact. He proceeded to hoist her off the ground upside down. He was about to laugh at her predicament when she bent completely in half at the waist, head butting him in the forehead. Naruto winced at the impact but didn't release his hold on her legs.

"Ow."

He pulled sharply on her legs, tossing her a few feet in the air. On her way up he caught her wrists and guided her descent so that she landed on her feet facing him. He proceeded to twist her arms behind her back pulling her tight into his chest. Hinata smiled up at him.

"Wuss."

She then tapped closed the tenketsu on Naruto's wrists, using her right hand on his right wrist and vice versa. His grip failed as the chakra flow was cut off to his hands. She then lifted her right foot and used it to shove her stunned husband away. He quickly regained his balance and grimaced at his bemused wife.

"That was a cheap shot." He said as he once again opened the closed holes with small bursts of red chakra.

"So is using Kyuubi chakra against someone who doesn't have a demon sealed in them."

He cocked his head to the side, smirking openly at Hinata's sardonic remark.

"Touche."

Casually, Hinata drew her kodachi from it's scabbard. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at her, an almost amazed expression on his face.

"Getting serious are we?"

She just smiled as she lunged at him, blade aimed at his thigh. She knew that the Kyuubi would heal him from pretty much any injury, but she still didn't feel like doing any real damage to him. She needn't have worried as apparently Naruto was stepping his efforts up a notch as well. Moments before her blade struck home he disappeared from view. Suddenly he came into view crouched below her outstretched arm. He quickly reached out and tickled her stomach. She broke into laughter but still managed to try to kick her tormentor. An after image of the now departed man was left around her leg. Before she could react she felt hands at her sides. Again the fingers quickly began moving, tickling her ruthlessly. Just as she was about to react he was gone again. All of a sudden he was in front of her again. Rapidly he wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her side. Without a moment's hesitation he bent forward and placed his lips on hers. Slowly the kiss intensified and the kodachi dropped to the ground. Naruto loosened his grip on his love enough for her to move her arms and lace them around his waist. She stood on her toes, deepening the kiss. And then the kiss broke. Hinata was left staring into a pair of smiling blue eyes. He bent and kissed her forehead softly. Slowly he pulled back, his cerulean eyes sparkling with laughter.

"I win."

She responded with a kiss to the tip of his nose.

"You cheated."

He laughed as he swept her up into his arms, cradling her behind her back and knees.

"It's not my fault you're ticklish."

Hinata lightly punched him in the chest, before resting her head against it. With one smooth movement Naruto stepped on the kodachi and, after gripping it with chakra, he kicked it into the air. It slowly spun back down above the pair. Hinata reached out and grabbed it, swiftly sliding it into its sheath. Her cheek slid up against his bare arm. She immediately pulled back from the contact.

"You feel disgusting."

He looked at her quizzically, amazement clear in his eyes.

"You asked for it."

"I guess I did." She sighed as she leaned back into his chest.

A/N: Action and fluff all in one. Yup, I'm just that good. In case you didn't realize that's false ego right there. Hope you liked it. Oh, and I hope you liked the chapter too.

Danny-171984: I don't believe that no girl would believe that. She didn't really believe that he would cheat on her in the first place. She just didn't know what else to think. Since she wanted to believe him it didn't take much to convince her. It's just that simple. Sure it wouldn't happen like that very often in real life, but it could, and that's all that matters.

RawD: The best part of waking up is hobo in your cup. Mmm hobo. Um yeah, I haven't got to the age explanation yet. It will happen though. Someday. Probably something like what you said, just less extreme.

Aloi-chan: Yeah, besides, if he killed Kanai, Ami would be sad. And that's no good for anyone.

thestoneox: I'm a speedy devil what can I say? And it's not just lately. I average about a chapter per day. And that's not from posting a bunch of chapters at once. At least not usually. Glad you like my Gaara. He's a total blast to write. The calm and quirky sand monster. Good times.

Dragon Man 180: Naruto chasing down someone who makes Natsuki cry would be hilarious. He could pop out of the ground in front of him and pummel him. Good times. Poof. Gone. Yay!

Jays Arravan: I did make one for Naruto and Hinata a long time ago. If you'll recall him missing their date because he was unconscious. There should probably be more though. We shall see. All the kids have inherited some fun from their fathers. I'll get into those at some point.

BeautifulStruggle: The kids' cuteness got you eh? Makes sense. I love the little buggers too.

warprince2000: Well it wasn't as fast as I normally write, but it was still a pretty quick update by most standards. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

madnarutofan (): Eep! Sand monster! Run! I'm sure that Ami will be fair and kind with her. GAHAHAHAHAHA!

Jester12: Aww. Would Naruto do something like that? Yeah. Probably.

Pups4u34: It was most definitely supposed to be funny. Nice to know I succeeded. Funny thing about having a sunny disposition. It's quite infections. Good idea! Even if they don't understand what's going on it will at least confuse them enough to keep them from being too depressed. Thanks for you input on the OCs. I appreciate it greatly.

ShinobiFighter101: Yes, you certainly do have to love Gaara. OR ELSE! Thanks for your OC input.

RLnaruhina: Be nice to the strapping young lads who go after your non-existent as of yet daughter. She'll be unhappy if you chase them all away. Yup, I'm 21 now and still oh so crazy. Huzzah.

hopeless-flame: Run stupid girl run! I'm sure she'll handle it rationally with a cool head. Or not.

Anime/Manga lubber: You missed it? Well that's no good. I hope you've fixed the problem now. And more naruhina you shall have.

randomguyhere (): Well whenever you've got the time I would love to hear from you about your favorites. Good luck with the schoolin'.

nonengel: Yeah, um, stupid training…… Well I'm glad you found the time. I love the kids. They're all so nutty and cute. You knew the Gaara and Kanai scene had to come eventually right?

lunarangel (): Yare yare. Longest review. EVER! Lol. What fun. I am way too out of it to respond to all of this. As for how old I think you are. Um, well you're in highschool at the oldest. Beyond that though I've got no idea. Unfortunately, I can't use your mom's email for the petition. The petition is only for those who are registered members of the site. Sorry.


	44. Mother

A/N: Chapter 2 of 3 being posted all at once. Be sure you read them all. No skipping!

Mother

A noise. A simple bump in the night. Something that any normal person would just ignore. Hinata was not a normal person. For one, she was a ninja. For two, night noises had never boded well for her. And for three, she was a mother.

The instant she heard the bump she was up and out of bed, quickly walking down the hallway in the underwear she slept in. Her destination was her child's room. Little Natsuki. She was the light in her heart, and the closer she got, the faster her heart beat. Her pace quickened. She needed to get there fast. She knew something was wrong. The feeling in her heart told her so.

And then she was there. The image that flooded her vision filled her with terror, and something more than that. Something like rage. There, in her home, in her child's room, was someone she had never seen before.

He was dressed in all black, only his eyes were visible between the fabric. His eyes. Those horrible eyes. They shone like hot coals in the darkness, red on top of black. He hadn't seen her yet though. He was too busy bending over her child, wrapping her up in her blanket as she lay unconscious.

Just as he was about to hoist the small girl up onto his shoulder, he saw Hinata in the doorway. He started, and quickly reached for the weapons pouch at his leg. Too slow. Before his hand was halfway there he was pinned to the wall by a hail of shuriken. With a coolness that belied her intense anger, she approached the immobile man. Soon she was face to face with the fiend, just inches from this person she had quickly come to hate more than anyone she had ever known. She spoke to the man in a voice that was almost a whisper. Her voice carried with it the same chill as ice.

"Who are you, and what do you want with my daughter?"

No answer.

In a flash she pulled her hand back and slammed it into the man's shoulder. The sound of shattering bone clearly showed the absence of anything 'gentle' about the gentle fist style on this particular occasion. For his part the man in black barely made a noise as a result of the pain that had to be excruciating. She stepped closer, until her face was nearly touching the helpless man's.

"Answer my question." She murmured in the same icy tone as before.

Silence.

The quiet was disturbed by the sound of the man's other shoulder collapsing under the small girl's hand.

"Now." She growled.

Again there was no answer, and the man's knee snapped in half.

"I guess we'll just have to let the anbu deal with you. I hope you enjoy being eaten alive by insects, only to be healed so that it can happen all over again. And then my friend is going to walk through your mind and find out anything you don't want to tell us anyways."

As she finished talking she began to twirl a kunai around her finger menacingly.

"Anyways, you won't be needing these anymore."

She savagely shoved the blade through the crotch of the man's pants, severing his genitals where they met the body. He seemed about to scream when Hinata poked at a tenketsu in his throat, cutting off the chakra to his voice box. All that came out of the man's mouth was a frenzied blast of air.

"I wouldn't want you having kids anyways."


	45. Answers unfound

A/N: Chapter 3 of 3 being posted all at once. Be sure you read them all. **No skipping**!

Answers Unfound

"What did he have to say?"

The person who asked the question was Uzumaki Hinata. She was standing beside the man who had given her his family name. The person who answered the question was Yamanaka Ino.

"Nothing."

Pale eyes rolled slightly at the comment.

"And what did you find out anyway?"

The blond woman smirked confidently.

"Everything."

Naruto sat back on his desk, and quickly his wife joined him.

"Tell us."

Ino took a seat in the chair in front of his desk.

It seems he was a rogue ninja from the sound. He was acting entirely on his own. Kabuto didn't have a clue he was going to do this. He had recently fallen out of favor with that gray-haired bastard, and wanted to do something to make himself look good. Apparently he thought that this would get him back in good graces and maybe even earn him a promotion. It makes sense when you think about it. What more could a science freak like Kabuto ask for than two advanced bloodlines to study in one body?"

Naruto interjected.

"I really don't think that mine is much of an 'advanced bloodline'. It just doesn't feel right to me.'

His fellow blond snorted derisively.

"And just what would _you _call it?"

"I don't know, um…."

Hinata extended her arm and patted her husband on the chest.

"Ino, can you two figure this out later? I want to know what exactly is going on."

Ino just shrugged.

"There's not much else to tell. He completely overestimated his own strength, and underestimated yours. He knew that Naruto would be out late doing the usual Hokage stuff, and he figured that he wouldn't have any trouble dealing with you if need be."

Naruto began to laugh at the revelation. He shook his head, amazed at the man's arrogance.

"What an idiot. I don't know anyone besides Gaara and myself that stand a good chance of beating this little vixen here, and that's mostly because we've got a little extra demon help."

The blond woman pointed accusingly at Naruto, her face bearing an 'Ah ha!' expression.

"See! It is an advanced bloodline!"

Naruto sighed. There was no arguing with his fellow blond.

"Fine. Whatever. Did you find out anything else?"

Blond hair swayed slightly as Ino shook her head.

"Nope. He was just an ambitious idiot that didn't have a clue what he was getting himself into."

He nodded his understanding.

"Thanks Ino. Hinata and I need to talk. I'll tell you if I need anything else."

She rose from her seat and walked to the door. She opened it and turned to face her friends again.

"Ok. I'm out. You two have fun." She said with a wink just before she exited, closing the door behind her.

Hinata turned her head to meet her husband's eyes.

"She never changes does she?"

Naruto sighed again.

"Nope, not really."

"What do you think about what she said?"

His face turned serious all of a sudden.

"I think something needs to be done. Maybe he wasn't acting under Kabuto's orders this time, but who knows how long it will be until someone is?"

Hinata nodded, wrapping her arms around her husband's arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What should we do now?"

He smiled before bending slightly to kiss the top of her head. She raised her eyes to meet his, only to see him grinning broadly. He cupped her cheek in his palm.

"I think we should take her advice from when she left."

"Oh? And what advice was that?"

He lowered his face to hers until their foreheads and noses were touching.

"She told us to 'have fun'."

Hinata smiled as she tilted her head to kiss her blond husband.

"And we always thought that Shikamaru was the genius on that team."

Naruto laced his fingers through her blue hair, pulling her in for another kiss.

"I guess we were wrong."


	46. Piece of Heaven

A/N: Well people I'm back at school. That should mean a slowing of my updates. I will still update as often as absolutely possible but I'm sure you don't want me failing just to write Naruto fanfics do you? By the way, as of august 25th I am now a 21 year old who still doesn't drink. Good times eh? Also, there are two new record review numbers. 19 for chapter 42 and 15 for chapter 45. Simply awesome. THANK YOU!

Piece of Heaven

It was morning. He loved his mornings with her. They would sit together on the porch and watch the sunrise over the village. At least that was what she was watching. He spent at least half of the time watching the shadows the bright red and orange sun cast on his love's face. A small thrill that should have faded in the four years that they had been married coursed through his body as she leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed contentedly. He smiled and rested his head on hers, watching the sun through half-lidded eyes.

These were the moments he lived for. There was a time when all he wanted in life was to fight and be strong. All he truly believed in was his own strength, and he wanted to show it to the world. He wanted to become Hokage to prove that he was the best. Now everyone knew he was the best, but he didn't care. He didn't even care if the girl at his side thought he was the best, so long as she loved him. Of course, she did think he was the best, but that was just a bonus for him.

He had come to realize something very important a few days before he asked Hinata to marry him. This was all he had ever really wanted. As long as he had her by his side nothing else mattered. She knew it too. How could she not? He told her about once a week after all.

One might say that he took comfort in the little things now. They would be wrong though. The fact was there was nothing little about how he felt for her. Even in the grandiose world that is Naruto's mind there was nothing that could even compare to the amount he loved the pale-eyed beauty. It was simply to large to comprehend.

They stayed completely motionless for about fifteen minute, until Naruto lifted his head to look at his wife again. He chuckled softly to himself because of what he saw. There was Hinata, fast asleep on his shoulder, her mouth hanging open. Gently he tucked his fingers under her chin and closed her mouth. She grinned and smacked her lips sleepily as he did so. He slowly swept his hand up the side of her face before brushing a few stray hairs behind her ear. He made an attempt to adjust himself so that Hinata's head would have a more comfortable place to rest. Unfortunately, instead of the intended effect of aiding her rest, he ended up waking the small girl. Cutely, she shifted her head to look at him through sleepy eyes, yawning slightly as she did so. With a tenderness that no one who only knew him in battle could believe he cupped her cheek in his hand and slowly ran his thumb along her cheekbone.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

Lavender eyes closed as their owner nuzzled her cheek into his hand.

"It's ok."

Her blue hair covered his lap as she laid her head down. Naruto reached down and began to softly stroke her hair, playing with the edge of her ear every now and then. He found himself wondering why she was so tired this morning.

"Have a late night?"

Her eyes stayed closed as she answered.

"Natsuki kept having nightmares."

He nodded his understanding though he knew she couldn't see it. She did feel his body shake slightly with the movement at least.

"Why didn't you wake me? I would have handled it."

Hinata just smiled as she turned her head until her nose touched his leg. She took a deep breath of the smell she loves so much.

"I know you could have, but you're a sound sleeper and I was already up."

He frowned slightly.

"Even so…."

Her sigh cut him off before he could finish.

"Shhh. I want to be able to hear your pulse."

He laughed quietly and resumed stroking her hair.

The sun was almost completely up by now. It had long since ceased to have any red in it and was rapidly moving on to its normal yellow state. The heat was radiating off of it in waves, rapidly removing the morning chill from the pairs' bones. Their breathing slowly fell into synch with each other, a fact that neither of them noticed consciously, but it was obvious in the back of their minds. Naruto looked down just in time to see that her eyes were open before she spoke.

"I love the sun. It always reminds me of you."

A look of puzzlement spread across Naruto's face as he tried to figure out what exactly she meant. She noticed his confusion and continued to explain.

"It's always bright and cheery. It makes me feel all warm inside. It's yellow…." She paused to giggle at her own joke "I can depend on it to be there right when it's supposed to be, and most of all, I can always look to it to guide me to where I'm supposed to be."

He smiled warmly down at her as he bent over and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you."

Suddenly sounds of crying erupted from the house. Hinata looked up to Naruto with her sleepy eyes again, a subtle smirk quirking her lips.

"Your turn."

A/N: OMG KAWAII! That's what I might say if I was, in fact, a teenage girl, but I'm not. So…. yeah.

BeautifulStruggle: Yeah. It was a very fun chapter to write. Thanks. I try to be descriptive. Angry mom! Go!

Aloi-chan: Genius Ino. She knows what her friends want.

Jays Arravan: Actually my record is 4 chapters in one night. That would be the 4 chapters of Naruto becoming Hokage and his subsequent carving into the mountain. The best so far? That's awesome. Thank you so much. Poor groin. Don't mess with the kids. It just won't turn out well for you. Actually, 45 leads to the scene where Hinata kills Kabuto. I might do an assault scene though for fun.

Jester12: Yes, yes she is. Protect your groin man. It's very important.

RawD: Really? That's pretty impressive. Believe it or not I thought of the idea before I had even heard about the scene from the anime. The fact that they had it though was great. Mmm Hinata. Cruelty, thy name is Mother. Here's the fluff for you. Hope it was good.

ShinobiFighter101: Im jealous too. :weeps silently: hahaha. Yeah, anyone would be lucky to have a relationship like they have. A pitiless person at last. He definitely deserved the genital chopping.

Shadowlink777: The combination hopefully keeps everyone happy. I like to try for that, and hopefully I succeed. Yes she is scary. Very scary.

DragonMan180: hahaha. Sweet. It's kind of fun to write her angry. She's still a quiet angry, but it doesn't matter. She's scary. Sorry, I had Shino and Ino do the interrogating. I'm trying to keep the story to the main people for the most part I suppose.

Lunarangel: Success! I knew that only a 14 year old girl would be nutty enough to write reviews like this. : )( : Keep up the good work. I just used the link at the top of the site to register. Anything beyond that I don't know. By the way, in my story Shino also has control of bugs that can eat flesh. That's why it would be torture. Chakra eating is just a pain in the butt. And yes, you're correct. Please don't hurt a guys nuts unless he really really really deserves it.

Raziel Tepes: Meh to you not reading my song. I'm hurt sort of. I'll live though. My reason for giving him a timid, quiet girl? I like them. Simple as that really. Yep, she got the jello eventually. Chapter 35 was fun to write but also very hard. I'm glad you appreciated it. Thanks for the petition info. Fluffy fighting. Good times.

Hopeless-flame: She's a shinobi. Fighting is always fun when no one is going to get hurt. She was kind of serious, but so was he. He's just a goofball. Poor groin of kidnapper. Lol. I like Sakura a bit more than Ino, but Ino is fun too. There are very few characters I don't like. Cough Konohamaru Cough.

Talium: I hope you made it past chapter 2 and all the way here. If you didn't I cry.

Tigersmt.334: naruto romances don't get nearly enough coverage. I think he actually gets less than KakaIru, which is just scary.

RLnaruhina: Kunai CHOP! I try to keep my people happy. Writing goes on forever.

Danny-171984: It does sound like 148 a bit, but I thought of it before I even knew the episode had that scene. So that chapter was pure hobo. Bye bye balls. Gahahaha. Kidnapper was dealt with. Kabuto didn't even know about it. No reason not to have fun. Not like there was real any danger.

Anime/Manga lubber: A couple that's in love should never stop having "fun". In fact they should have "fun" very very often. Hey! I've got school tomorrow too. MEH!

Nonengel: Open ended without having loose ends. The perfect plan. Lol. Glad you liked 43. It was a lot of fun to visualize and write.

Kai Otogi: Welcome to the gang and thank you very much for the high praise. I hope that I can continue to live up to it. Don't worry updates come very fast around these parts. I used to have an average of over a chapter a day. That wont be the case now, but still, every couple of days seems plausible. Keep reading. Keep loving.


	47. Scream

A/N: 16! Count em 16! Reviews for my last chapter. In one day? That's amazing. Simply astounding. Thank you all.

A fun section for you about me. Describing myself using Naruto characters. I'm Naruto for the basic goofiness and hyperactivity and also my fierce loyalty and protectiveness for my friends. I'm Shikamaru for the constant thinking (I'm a borderline insomniac because of it) and the occasional stoic attitude. I'm Hinata for my shyness around people I don't know unless I'm with someone that I do know. Finally, I'm like Gaara how I have written him. Just a little bit "off" and with a quirky sense of humor. Where do you think he gets it from? I am not Ino or Sakura pretty much at all. If I wanted to I could compare myself to everyone and say that they treat their friends well and are nice, but that wouldn't really be all that informative.

Scream

Sheer terror coursed through Naruto's veins as he entered his home. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong. He couldn't remember the last time he was this afraid. Maybe it was the first time he had seen Zabuza on their way to the wave country, or maybe it was in their battle against the members of Akatsuki when the psuedo-leader had attacked Hinata.

His eyes went wide in an effort to take in more of his surroundings. He wanted to be ready. No. More than that. He had to be ready. His heart was beating furiously in his chest. The sound it created in his ears was deafening. He knew that the sound would give him a way. How could someone not hear it? He was almost surprised it wasn't shaking the walls with its force.

With his back pressed up against the wall, he turned the corner into his kitchen. There it was. The source of his fear. He just barely contained a scream of horror as he came face to face with ……… his wife Hinata, who was smiling the sweetest, most innocent, smile anyone has ever seen.

"Naruto-kuuuun." She purred when she saw him.

This was it. He was done for. Defeated, his shoulders slumped. Fearfully, he prepared to accept his fate.

"Y-yes?" He asked with a trembling voice.

Time seemed to stand still for him as he waited for her to answer. Seductively, she sauntered over to him and snaked her arms around his waste, tucking her head into his chest.

"Let me cut your hair."

Naruto recoiled slightly from the shock. He had grown rather fond of his long hair, which now draped around his shoulders. He liked the feeling of it whipping around behind him as he sprinted across the rooftops. He also fancied that it made him look somewhat mysterious and roguish. Hinata didn't argue with his assessment, and for a time she even agreed with it, but it was growing old. In her opinion it was time for something new. He knew how his wife felt, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try to weasel his way out.

"But why?" He whined.

"Because I want to, and you'll let me because you love me."

A sigh emanated from the blond man. She was right. There was no way he could tell her no. He never could, at least not about things that didn't put her in danger.

'Well.' He thought to himself. 'Here goes nothing.'

"Fine, but be gentle."

Her arms tightened around him and were almost immediately released. She proceeded to bound out of the room, giggling happily. When she returned she had a pair of scissors and a towel in her hand.

"Get your hair wet and sit down."

He did as he was ordered, though not without a fair amount of grumbling, which Hinata ignored. After he was seated unfolded the towel, and with a flourish wrapped it around his neck. Then she reached down and pulled the blond hair that had gotten trapped underneath the towel and set to work.

Blue eyes watched with mild dismay as large chunks of blond hair fell to the ground. Silently he thanked his hair for its years of service. He told it that he would miss it, but they would meet again when they could. A soft whimper escaped his lips as a particularly large hunk of hair dropped to the floor. Hinata smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

"Don't be such a wuss."

"But." He pleaded as he gestured at the hair on the ground with open palms. "You're cutting off so much"

She sighed exasperatedly.

"Well there is a lot to cut off. Don't worry it will look good when I'm done."

His lower lip jutted out in a pout.

"Ok." He muttered in an unsure tone.

He trusted his wife, but he had never see her cut hair before so he had no idea if she was any good. He trusted her… to a point, and that point was being pushed farther and farther away every moment.

All of a sudden she was done. She ruffled his hair with the palm of her hand before whipping the towel off of him. She handed him her vanity mirror so that he could see her handiwork. With more than a bit of nervousness he took the mirror from her and held it in front of his face. His eyes were closed though, so he couldn't see. Slowly, and with much trepidation, he opened his eyes. Imagine your surprise when he saw something he never quite expected. He looked good. His hair was indeed quite a bit shorter, but it was longer than when they were young. It was long enough that it draped over his ears, and a few strands hung down in front of his eyes. Not enough to obscure them of course. There is no way Hinata would ever allow that. She wanted to be able to see his eyes at all times. She rested her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them lovingly.

"Do you like it?"

He crossed his free left hand over his chest and placed it over her right hand on his shoulder.

"Actually, I love it. I'm impressed."

He could see her face light up in the mirror. Hinata beamed happily as she looped her arms around his neck. The kiss she laid on his cheek earned a small blush from the seated blond.

And so the fear was found to be unwarranted. Naruto's shinobi instincts had failed him this day. Then again, how could he have known his wife had yet another hidden talent like the jyuken massage? He learned his lesson though. Never doubt Uzumaki Hinata.

A/N: Classic fluff. Somewhat stolen from the movie Phenomenon, but only the basic concept.

ShinobiFighter101: The teenage girl reaction is fun. No shame. Thanks a bunch for the birthday wishes. Don't worry I understand about the present. Im poor too. Oh so poor…..

Shukido-chan: Hey, it's not a problem as long as you catch up.

MichelLover67: I hope you made it this far all the way from chapter 4. If you're online why don't you go get the manga from narutofan dot com? I'm glad that I could impress you with the quality of my fluff. Clearly, I'm a fluff lover myself, but I can understand those that aren't. I shall take your compliment as high praise. Sorry about Sasuke. I didn't intend to kill him when I started writing the story. I just liked his death way too much. Heh. Yes, the hokage is a woman. Tsunade of the legendary sannin takes over later in the story. I hope that doesn't spoil anything for you. Poor lack of sex. I feel pity. Naruto characters dancing? Scary.

Dragon Man 180: There would be a lot of holes in Uzumaki household if she slept walked.

Raziel Tepes: Ha! I'm older and therefore better. Riiiiight. About your story. Frankly I'm not a fan of crossover as a whole, but if you write it well then it doesn't matter. Just be sure to explain your reasoning for the character being uber strong in the story.

RawD: Yeah. If I have to be up in the morning that's how I want to spend it.

Aloi-chan: Kawaii indeed. Thanks for the birthday wishes. Alcohol is for disinfecting right: )( :

Jays Arravan: You're quite wrong I'm afraid. I have never had a serious relationship. There has been a girl that I love but we've never gotten together despite whatever she feels for me. Maybe that's enough though.

TVO: Great. Glad you liked it. I love Kanai. Expect to see him more soon.

Nonengel: Excellent. Love in the morning. Definitely a good thing.

Shinta Azechi: Happy I could please you. I must say that Im a bit of a fluff specialist. I like writing the other stuff too, but I'll always come back to the sappy stuff in the end.

RLnaruhina: haha. Your turn. It makes me laugh. Thanks. I shall attempt to beat school like a red-headed step child.

Jester12: Thank you. Everyone should have a sun in their life.

Hopeless-flame: Yes school sure puts a damper on things. And yet I still wrote a new chapter already. What the heck is wrong with me? Sakura and Ino ended the relationship because of Sasuke mutually. Sakura just gets more face time so she's thought of more.

Danny-171984: Yes it does. I hope to experience it some day.

Kai Otogi: I agree whole-heartedly. I will continue to write as quickly as possible and for as long as my ideas hold out. I'll see what I can do about putting in maybe the Uzumaki kids' chuunin exams. They could be fun to write. Though I've given them just a bit of an edge…..


	48. Sneaky

A/N: Mmm. 16 reviews for the last chapter. I am one lucky author. Thank you all for sticking with me and giving me your support. I'm writing this for you. Smile. It makes the hobo happy.

Sneaky

It was an odd sight to see. The Rokudaime Hokage, a man believed to be the most powerful ninja ever, was moving through his house in a crouch looking under every table and behind every couch he came across. His wife looked at him with mild puzzlement in her pale lavender eyes. She followed behind him as he quickly opened a closet door and pointed into it accusingly, only to slam it shut and have a look of disappointment spread across his face. She decided to find out what was going on.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmn?" He muttered as he peered behind a set of red drapes in their living room.

"What are you doing?"

The blond man continued to stalk around the room, looking under and behind everything, but he did answer her question.

"I'm playing hide and seek with Kanai, but he's way too good at hiding."

Hinata shook her head with amusement, her hair, which now hung in a low ponytail, swayed gently behind her. Suddenly Naruto jerked upright with his eyes wide and his right index finger extended toward the ceiling. Apparently he had an idea.

"I know! You can use your byakugan to help me find him."

She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"You want to cheat at hide and seek with your son?"

Naruto acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world. What could be wrong with cheating at hide and seek after all?

"Well yeah. I've been looking forever. The game is no fun if you can't find anyone.

Hinata's expression didn't change. He decided to try something else.

"He might be hurt somewhere. Wouldn't you feel bad if he was hurt and you didn't help me find him?"

Success. Her shoulders dropped and her eyes closed slowly. When they opened again the left side of her lips crinkled slightly in amusement.

"Fine."

She crossed her slender arms across her chest to show that she was not doing this for him, but to make sure that her son was safe.

Quietly, she activated her byakugan, and the veins around her eyes bulged to the surface as the centers of her eyes became more clearly defined. Almost immediately after she started looking she broke into a fit of laughter and deactivated her blood limit.

It was Naruto's turn to look at her like she was crazy. There was nothing that he had noticed that could be construed as amusing. As near as I can tell she had just burst into laughter to annoy him.

"What's so funny?" He demanded.

Her only response was to point to the ceiling above her confused husband. He looked up to see his son clinging to the ceiling on all fours using chakra. He barely had time to react as Kanai dropped down on top of him. Naruto caught him just before their foreheads met in a collision, that despite the boys surprising toughness for even a ninja of his age, was not going to end in his favor. He held the giggling boy at arm's length, and slowly joined him in his laughter.

"That was a pretty good hiding spot Kanai. How long were you there?"

"Your turn to hide."

Apparently the youngest Uzumaki had decided to ignore the question. Naruto was not about to press the issue though. It was his turn to hide after all.

And so it led to the current situation. Naruto and Hinata were sitting across the table from Sakura and Lee, and they were just finishing up the story. Sakura looked to the blond man, shock clearly present in her bright green eyes.

"I can't believe you tried to cheat on your eight-year-old son."

Naruto raised his hands defensively.

"You don't understand. There's no other way to find him. He's simply amazing when it comes to hiding. I've never seen anything like it. I'm not allowed to use my ninja senses when I'm looking for him, but he never said anything about others using theirs."

Sakura's look turned to mild suspicion.

"Are you sure you aren't just losing your touch?"

He just smirked knowingly, and pointed above his pink-haired friend. She looked up just in time to see the small blond boy drop from the ceiling.

"Banzai!" he shouted as he fell.

Lee's arm darted out and caught Kanai by the back of his shirt, halting his fall. Then he swung the boy into his arms and looked down at him rather impressed.

"Very nice work Kanai-kun. It seems you've got quite the talent for stealth."

The boy's chest swelled at the compliment.

"Thank you Lee-san."

"I don't like formalities. Just call me Lee ok?"

Kanai looked over to his mother who nodded her approval. He turned back to Lee and nodded his head vigorously.

"Ok Lee."

"Good." He said as he set Kanai down on the floor. "Now how about you go see if you can sneak up on Tsuyomaru? He's up in his room."

The small boy's head bobbed so fiercely that it looked like it might drop off his neck and then ran up the stairs.

Sakura looked at her broadly grinning husband.

"Do you think Tsuyomaru will notice him?"

Konoha's resident master of the iron fist taijutsu style simply shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out."

Just then a surprised yell erupted from upstairs.

"GAH! What the hell are you doing Kanai!"

Lee shrugged again.

"I guess not."

A/N: Ah that mischievous Kanai. What sort of trouble will he get into next time?

Dragon Man 180: I doubt he would seal them. It screws up their chakra flow as a whole too much. Who knows if it would even work? It's not like they actually have a central demon providing the chakra.

RLnaruhina: My Hinata doesn't get to touch my hair. Ever. If she doesn't like it I'll go get it done right. But I'm not going to risk bald spots.

MichelLover: Azrael's editorial is hilarious. I'm glad you're enjoying it like I did. Akatsuki is the group of nins that Sasuke's brother joined after he left Konoha. Orochimaru was a former member as well. The animal masks are referring to the masks that all anbu wear. You can see them in the first chapter. Also, Akatsuki aren't assassins. They have some goal that has to do with extracting the demons sealed inside of some people. That's all I know for now. I made up all but the plant guy, Kisame, Deidara, Itachi, and the leader. I was tired by the time I got around to finishing the Akatsuki fight, so the end got a little blah. Sorry. It's what couples should do. Fights are inevitable. Making up and being happy is optional. Messy activity! Well I guess you'll understand some day. At least I hope you do for your sake. The demon didn't come out against Sasuke. Just a reminder. Yes, you are correct. I stole Moeko and Natsuki from Azrael's editorials. They were just such sweet little girls, and I like the names too. The chapter about the eyes is a personal favorite. It reflects a lot of how I think. 1,000 years of pain is unlikely to make a showing in my story. Sorry. Nobody really dies in my story. It's made for happiness. Death isn't happy. The petition is something to try and stop this site from removing stories just because the authors answered reviews in them. I shall try to make more Kurohai caliber characters. I'm not sure what exactly you mean though. Do you want more nut jobs or something? Can't kill him without questioning him. That's a waste of intelligence. Well I'm glad you made it all the way to the end. I hope you can stand to keep going. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

Danny-17984: I like redirection. Can't you tell?

Raziel Tepes: Well, good luck with your story. I love redirection. It's such a great comedic tool.

RawD: HA! Fooled you!

Aloi-chan: I don't read the sad stuff for just that reason. Glad I could brighten your day. Smiles are my gift to the world.

Madnarutofan: You're preaching to the choir man. Under a month ago my hair went down past my chin. I got it cut because even I thought it was starting to look ratty. Well thanks. Even though they are "one shots" they all link together in a semi-coherent form. I think that when I'm done I'll rearrange all of the chapters so that they are chronological. What do you think?

Jester12: Gah! Ear cutting is bad. I need my ears to hear music. No music equals a dead hobo.

Warprince2000: Is two days a fast enough update for you? Note: The question is rhetorical.

ShinobiFighter101: Ach! Letting a guy cut a girl's hair? Never a good idea. I know that if it was me cutting the hair it wouldn't end well.

Anime/Manga lubber: That was some mighty long hair. That's pushing the bounds of good taste I think. I don't know anyone that can grow hair that long and still have it be healthy.

Naruto'sbabygirl: I'm so happy you're enjoying this little taste of my insanity. And have I thought about it? Hell, I started writing my non-fanfic before I started this. It's quite a bit shorter since my writing for it is a lot more erratic, but if you want it just IM or e-mail me. They're both available in my author profile.

Writerauthorguy: Haha. Thanks. Cute is good. No matter what anyone says. The scene where she gives him a shave. Like I said, it's very loosely connected. Same type of thing handled completely differently.

Hopeless-flame: I'm a Zoology/Prevet major. We don't really get homework other than reading. And since I'm currently too poor to buy my books I have plenty of free time. Women do it all the time. Why should Hinata be any different?

John Bellamy: I'll try to get Natsuki into the act more. I just write whatever pops into my head so that kind of means I don't really know where I'm going. I'm sure you know how it goes.


	49. The Meaning of Life

A/N: As usual you all have surpassed my expectations. 18 reviews for last chapter. It's enough to bring a tear to this young man's eye. You all are certainly giving me plenty of incentive to keep on writing this little tribute to everybody's favorite couple. May you all find your Naruto or Hinata.

The Meaning of Life

What makes someone love another person? Some people just don't get it, and maybe they never will. Either they haven't experienced it for themselves, or maybe they have and they got hurt. The point is that we should pity those poor people. They will never really know what happiness is, and if they ever realized what it is they are missing it might just shatter them.

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that most of the Hyuuga high council fell into this sad category of people, and they were trying to stand in the way of the love of one of their clan. That person was Hyuuga Hinata, by far the most kind-hearted of her clan. Even so she could not bring herself to pity them, not while she was so angry. There was a time when she would meekly do whatever it was that this group of elders told her, but then again, she had never really had anything so worth fighting for.

She was currently staring down the eldest member of the council, a withered old man with dull gray hair and eyes that oozed with disdain and arrogance. His thin lips curled into a vicious snarl as he looked at this girl he considered a reckless youth that needed to learn her place.

"You will not marry that boy, and that is final!"

The normally calm girl's lips pursed angrily as her eyes opened wide with intensity.

"And what gives you the right to tell me who I can marry?" Her voice came out in a low growl, but the emotion it carried was enough to make all but the strongest willed in the room shudder.

His response was to stand, raising himself to a height that used to be much taller when he was young, but from his perch he still managed to be higher up than Hinata. He pointed a gnarled finger at her accusatorily, attempting to make the young girl feel small and frightened.

"Despite my best efforts to change it you are the heir of the Hyuuga clan, and as such you must marry another Hyuuga to ensure the strength of the main house. A child like you would not understand matters of such importance."

His attempts at belittling the small girl did not have the desired effect at all. Instead of cowering and admitting her inferiority she stood taller and began to clench her fists tightly.

"No! It is you who does not understand! I love the Hyuuga dearly, but in the long run they do not truly matter. I would watch everything about this clan burn to the ground before I married anyone other than the man I love. The fact you cannot understand this shows just how ignorant you truly are."

Veins bulged from the elder's temples as he activated his byakugan in his anger.

"Why you insolent brat! How dare you insult one of your elders like that?" He roared as he assumed the traditional jyuken fighting stance. You _will_ be punished for your disrespect."

A soft 'ahem' from one of younger members of the council halted the old man before he could begin his assault. The enraged man turned to see who had the incredible gall to interrupt him. His search led him to meet the pale eyes of a man whose hair had gone pure snowy white with his age. He was about twenty years younger than him and because of that he was also held a lower rank in the council, but that didn't seem to deter him in the slightest.

"With all due respect elder, I do not think you are behaving rationally. I'm not sure that you would be able to beat her as she is now even if you were still in your peak physical condition. Despite any feelings you may have about her, she is still one of the strongest Hyuuga I have ever seen."

Gradually the ancient Hyuuga lowered his guard, but it was clear he was still seething with anger at the indignities that had been heaped upon him. He seemed about to speak when the younger man interrupted again.

"And also, I don't see what reason we could possibly have to stand in the way of this young woman's love. At the very least we still have her younger sister Hanabi."

This only seemed to infuriate the man further, as he now glared at his fellow council member.

"What reason could we possibly have? Even if we were to simply promote her sister to the position of heir, she would still be besmirching our name by marrying that demon. I will not allow such shame to……"

He was cut off by a forearm to his throat, pinning him to the wall. His shocked eyes met the eyes of the woman before him, and he started at what he saw. Burning in the eyes of the young Hyuuga was an almost inhuman hatred, the likes of which had never been seen in her before. Flashes of blue coursed behind her fully activated byakugan as extra chakra forced its way through.

"What did you just say?"

Regaining a semblance of his former composure, the gray-haired man scoffed derisively.

"I called him a demon. That's what he…."

Again he was cut off before he could finish his sentence. This time he found himself air born, as Hinata had gripped his robes and hurled him across the room. Fortunately for him, his descent was softened as the man he had been arguing with earlier caught him and set him gently back on his feet. He turned to face his attacker, rage smoldering in his pale eyes. He was about to speak again when Hinata appeared in front of him, glowering in an intimidating fashion.

"Say whatever you want about me. I long since gave up caring about how you feel about me. But never, and I mean never, insult my Naruto-kun."

Behind the old man who was just barely suppressing his trembling, the younger council member smiled warmly at the apparent former heir of the Hyuuga clan. She quietly acknowledged the silent support of the white-haired man. The old man knew when he was beaten, but he was not about to go down without a fight. He smirked evilly as he set his plan into motion. He put on a diplomatic air, acting as if he was only acting in everyone's best interest.

"Well, it seems I will not be able to dissuade you from your current course of action. Very well, I can live with that. I have little doubt that your sister would be a better leader than you anyways. However, since your marriage would mean leaving the clan, we will be forced to place a seal on you in order to prevent the byakugan from falling into the wrong hands."

A clearly enraged shout emitted from outside the closed room.

"Over my dead body!"

The sliding door slowly opened to reveal the glaring form of the current head of the Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hiashi. He stormed into the room, his fury spilling off him in waves.

"If you even _think_ I'll let you place that unholy seal on my daughter, you have obviously gone senile. I am the head of this clan, and I have already agreed to allow this marriage. There will be no retribution against either of them, or the offending person will have to deal with me. Not that there's anyone they wouldn't be able to handle on their own anyways." He said as he cast a loving glance over to his daughter.

Things had changed between him and his daughter over the years. No longer was he overbearing and cruel to this girl who only wanted love and acceptance. Of course this is not to say that he was warm. No, that goes beyond the capabilities of his personality. But he tried, and that's all that matters.

His gaze again turned towards the man who had indirectly threatened his daughter.

"Any questions?"

All those who had found themselves in agreement with the elder councilman shook their heads quickly, fear tainting their faces. Those who thought that the decision had been unjust simply smiled in agreement.

"Good." He extended his hand to his daughter. "Hinata, let's go."

She graciously accepted his hand in hers and together they walked back through the door and closed it behind them. As soon as the door was closed they turned and looked the other in the eye. After only a second the small girl rushed forward and hugged her father fiercely, tucking her head into his chest.

"Thank you."

He was pained and warmed at the same time as he felt her silent tears soaking through his robes. Lovingly, he slid his right arm around her back and his left hand behind her head and held her close to him.

"Just making up for past mistakes."

She hugged him tighter, trying to halt the tears that refused to cease.

"There are none." She whispered.

He grimaced ruefully as he remembered the way he had treated her when she was young. He was unable to express how thankful he was that she still loved him. He knew he didn't deserve it. Regretfully he bent over and kissed the top of her head before pulling her away from his chest.

"I'm sorry, but I have a lot of things to do today aside from putting a crotchety old man in his place."

She nodded her understanding, before she turned and prepared to leave. Her father's voice stopped her before she even took a step.

"Oh and Hinata?"

She spun to face him.

"Hai?"

"I love you."

The smile that formed on her face was warm enough to melt the ice around anyone's heart.

"I love you too Otou-san."

That was all they said before they parted ways. Hiashi felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of him. He had told her he loved her before, as she had him, but this was first time he had said it first, and the first time it was clear in his voice that he meant it.

In the dignified manner that all Hyuugas possess he walked down the hall. He felt so good that he almost began to whistle, and was only able to hold his smile to small grin. He turned the corner only to see a young blond-haired man leaning casually against the wall. He looked up at him, revealing his startlingly blue eyes.

"Thank you for helping her Hiashi-dono."

The Hyuuga leader shook his head to deflect the thanks.

"I just knew that if I didn't go in there you would. And this way we have a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I don't think the council head would have made it out of there uninjured if you went in."

Naruto smirked slightly.

"No. Probably not."

He pushed himself off the wall and took a step towards his fiancés father.

"Anyways. Thanks."

He held his hand out and Hiashi quickly accepted it. They looked into each other's eyes as they shook hands. Hiashi smiled, an action that would have surprised just about anyone.

"No. Thank you for making Hinata smile."

They released each other's hands and took a step back. Naruto bowed respectfully, another action that would have surprised just about anyone. When he again raised his head his trademark grin played across his face.

"It's my pleasure."

Hiashi returned his bow.

"I know." He took a step towards the side of the corridor. "Now go. I think my daughter could use some company."

Naruto was gone in a flash, running down the hall at break neck speed. Hiashi almost laughed as the blond boy ran with his hand raised in silent thanks.

Silently, he raised his pale eyes to the sky.

"I hope you like him dear. I know he will make our daughter happy."

Sometimes people who have lost the meaning of love can find it again. Hyuuga Hiashi was one such lucky person.

A/N: And that, as they say, is that. The confrontation that had to occur has past. Love that had faded has been reborn. All is right with the world.

Dragon Man 180: Haha. Well there is only so much time you can spend with Jiraiya when you're being trained by your parents and/or living in the Sand.

Danny-17984: Nope. Natsuki wasn't there. They didn't start dating until Natsuki was 22. She would only be 14 in that chapter.

MichelLover67: I like funny. Yay funny! You don't access the petition. You send me your site name and the e-mail you use for the site and I add it to the petition. You can either e-mail it to me or just put it in one of your reviews. Thanks for your help. Why on earth would I hide? Are you stalking me?

Elisa7692: Insanity is all just part of what makes life fun. And thanks. I see the humor in every day situations. You should have seen me at my cousin's wedding. It was so hard to stifle my laughter.

RawD: Haha. That would be very very interesting. Quite the time jump indeed.

Raziel Tepes: Yes, cheating on his son has a slightly different meaning in English. That usage is generally used for when someone is having an affair outside of their girlfriend or wife. However, it is still mostly correct. Just be sure to be specific when you're talking about what they cheated at to avoid confusion. And yes, your English is very good. I never would have guessed it wasn't your first language from the way you type.

Aloi-chan: They get along fine. Sakura would probably whup him if he mistreated Kanai anyways.

Kai Otogi: I'll see what I can do about getting the other kids more into the act. The age gap is pretty significant so it will be hard to get them all in at once at the least.

Jester12: Nothing is wrong with the timeline. I made a point to say that Kanai was eight in that chapter just to avoid confusion. That means that Natsuki is 14 and Naruto and Hinata are 35. I hope that helps

Writerauthorguy: Thanks! I plan to stop writing these when I run out of ideas. My goal is to make it to at least 100 chapters. It's going to take a while, but hopefully I'll make it.

Warprince2000: And as usual you say the exact same thing. I guess that's fine for a story like mine, even though I don't really like it. I mean I do spend a lot of time writing these chapters just to have you copy and paste the same response every time. However, I saw that you gave the exact same response to Dame Wren on her new story. That is simply unacceptable. It is insulting to her talents as a writer to use the same review for hers and my story. I'm not asking for much. Just that if you review (which don't get me wrong I appreciate it) please take the time to actually say something. It's really not that hard.

RLnaruhina: This chapter should easily push me over 500 reviews. I'm so excited.

Madnarutofan: Now that's a reaction I like. I'm ever so pleased that you thought that chapter was so funny. Awesome.

ShinobiFighter101: They would end up with creepy bald spots. Never a good thing.

Melissa-ong: Glad you like the little bugger. Don't worry I plan to. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Anime/Manga lubber: Yeah. It's no fun to play if someone is too good at it. It's nice to be able to even the odds.

Hopeless-flame: Kind of takes the challenge out of it doesn't it? You seem to have read wrong. I'm pre vet not pervert as in I'm going to take care of animals. They're not all that similar.

Lunarangel (): Perfection is in the arms of those you truly care about. I'm sorry I lost track of what is going on in this review. I think I may have offended you at some point. That wasn't my intention at all if I did. As for the 14 year old girl thing. There's no reason to be bothered by it. I simply happen to have some experience with girls about that age, and they've got more energy than a nuclear power plant. I consider myself hyperactive but girls of that age make me look like I'm constantly napping. Anyways, thanks for reviewing just like always. Good luck in high school. Have fun with it.


	50. A Clear Head

CHAPTER 50! I'm halfway to my goal. Whew. This is fun. Also, there is a link to a low quality and very unrehearsed song I recorded in my profile (it's my homepage link). I would appreciate it if you could comment on that as well as the chapter. Thank you all.

**Warprince2000:** I posted this last chapter but apparently you didn't read it. Hopefully I got your attention this time. And as usual you say the exact same thing. I guess that's fine for a story like mine, even though I don't really like it. I mean I do spend a lot of time writing these chapters just to have you copy and paste the same response every time. However, I saw that you gave the exact same response to Dame Wren on her new story. That is simply unacceptable. It is insulting to her talents as a writer to use the same review for hers and my story. I'm not asking for much. Just that if you review (which don't get me wrong I appreciate) please take the time to actually say something. It's really not that hard. Thanks man. I appreciate it.

A Clear Head

An awkward sixteen-year-old boy was doing his best to execute a flowing sequence of movements. His legs were wide and his knees were bent. Slowly he pushed his open palms out in front of him before continuing to swing his right arm to his side and bring his left hand, now balled into a fist, in towards his chest. He continued to move without stopping, bringing his right hand in towards his body and pushing to the side with his left.

A pair of pale eyes watched the boy's activity from the edge of the clearing. She wasn't trying to hide but she was hidden all the same. Or at least she would have been if it wasn't for finely tuned senses of the blond in the field. Without halting his movements he called out to her.

"Hey Hinata! What are you doing here?"

The young girl almost slid behind the tree she was standing by in an attempt to get away, but she managed to fight off the urge. She was getting better and better at that lately. Ever since that night in the woods she had been able to find more courage around him than ever before. She was still shy and quiet, but that was fine, he was outgoing and loud enough for the both of them. Her blush intensified with each step as she forced herself to walk towards him. She arrived in front of him, conveniently having forgot to answer his question. In truth she had been watching him like she always does, but he didn't need to know that. She steeled her courage and began to speak.

"Ano, what are you doing?" She asked as he continued to sway and fluidly move his arms about.

"Ero-sennin always tells me that I need to learn to calm down, and I heard that tai chi was a good way to learn to focus. I don't really know what I'm doing though."

He shrugged his shoulders, as if it didn't really matter to him. Hinata saw an opportunity to spend some time with her crush by helping him learn to do something she was well experienced at. The Hyuuga fighting style bares many similarities to tai chi after all.

"Ano, um, Naruto-kun?"

He stopped his routine and turned to face her, but she did not meet his eyes, instead directing his gaze to his chest. An improvement over when she used to stare at the ground whenever he talked to her, but still not enough in her mind. He looked at her quizzically.

"What's up?"

She almost jumped at the sound of his voice. It's not like she hadn't been expecting a response, but she had gotten lost in her own mind as she tried to think of what to say next. Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his, her heart beating faster the higher she looked.

"I, um, know how to do tai chi."

His cerulean eyes lit up. If there was one thing he loved to do it was learn, as long as it had something to do with being a ninja.

"Really!" He almost shouted. "Will you show me how?"

Meekly, Hinata nodded. Even if it hadn't been her intention in the first place, there was no way she could turn the excitable blond down. The smile he gave her caused her heart to flutter, and for a second she felt faint, but she recovered before anything happened. Blue eyes regarded her expectantly, waiting for her to begin.

She took the hint and slid down into a basic stance, knees bent and arms loosely bent at her sides. He copied her position and they began. Slowly they started to spin and glide around the clearing, Naruto copying her every movement. In perfect synchronization they pushed forward and swayed back, moving their arms to mimic the flowing of water. Eventually their movements led them to stand side by side, their shoulders touching. Naruto didn't seem to mind, or notice really, but Hinata was finding it difficult to maintain her concentration on her movements. She took another step and stumbled over her own feet, causing her to fall forward and just under the path of kunai. The blade stuck in the ground with a thunk, attracting the attention of the blond who had been to absorbed in his movements to notice the projectile. Naruto immediately jumped in to a defensive stance as Hinata wide-eyed at the weapon in front of her. A voice came out of the shadows.

"Lucky."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"You guys again? Seriously, what the hell?"

Hinata had regained her feet and was now in a defensive stance as well while looking to Naruto for an expectation. After a moment he noticed her staring at him.

"I've fought these guys twice before, at the chuunin exam and during a mission in the Tea Country. They just keep coming back though; no matter how many times we beat them."

Hinata's forehead creased with worry.

"Why?"

The blond just shrugged in response.

"I don't know. I guess they hold a grudge or something."

Another kunai sailed out of the shadows that Naruto just barely managed to deflect with one of his own.

"Be careful. They're good with genjutsu."

A realization struck Naruto just as he finished speaking.

"But that shouldn't be a problem for you should it?"

As if in answer to his question Hinata activated her byakugan. She pointed out towards a tree along the edge of the field.

"There's one disguised over there." She whispered to the boy beside her.

Naruto smirked slightly as he reached for a scroll hidden in his pocket.

"Not for long he isn't."

Quickly he unraveled the scroll, bit the tip of his thumb, and drew a line of blood down the parchment. Instantaneously, a puff of smoke appeared in the air, along with a rather large, and very sharp, shuriken. He hefted it in one hand and hurled it at the tree Hinata had pointed at with blinding speed. Almost immediately the mist-nin jumped out of his hiding place to avoid being cut in two. Naruto motioned to Hinata and the pair dashed towards the nin.

Naruto arrived first and he was just about to deliver a thundering punch to the mist-nin's face when Hinata called out to him.

"Look out!" She cried a moment to late.

Naruto was struck in the side of the head by one of the other mist-nin's flying kick. He tumbled to the ground and the nin made read to attack again. Hinata wasn't going to have any of that though, especially since she was apparently being ignored. Her first strike was high on the nin's shoulder, effectively eliminating its usefulness. Her second was aimed at his midsection, but he managed to move just enough that she missed her target. Unfortunately for him, that did not mean that she missed him completely, instead she laid the full impact into his thigh, limiting its mobility greatly. With his right leg no longer able to support his weight the mist-nin fell to the ground.

At that moment a hoard of clones jumped out of the trees and surrounded the lavender-eyed girl. If it had been anyone besides Hinata in the center of that mob they probably would have laughed derisively. Hinata wasn't the type to do that though. Sure she could see right through all of the clones and tell where the real one was, but that was no reason to brag was it?

She quickly made a beeline towards the source of the clones as soon as she made sure that Naruto was ok.

The blond boy was just hopping back to his feet as he had watched her dispatch the nin that had blind sided him. He was impressed. He had always known that she was stronger than even she gave herself credit for, but he had no idea just how much she had progressed while he was gone. He was busy smiling at her affectionately when he felt a presence sneaking up behind him. Just before the nin planted a kunai in his back he spun around and slammed a half-power rasengan into his stomach, sending him careening through the trees.

Again he turned around and watched admiringly as Hinata went to work. Of course he was ready to jump in at any time if she looked like she needed help. He casually began to walk over towards where Hinata was busy deflecting a hail of shuriken with a quick kaiten. He raised an eyebrow. He didn't know that she had learned the kaiten. He guessed there was still a lot he needed to learn about this quiet girl that had expressed so much love for him that night in the woods

Apparently this mist-nin was the leader of the group as he was clearly demonstrating the most skill. He was deftly maneuvering to avoid all of the chakra-infused blows that were directed at his person while still finding time to attempt his own attacks.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he saw the mist-nin pull a wire connected to a spring-loaded kunai trap. As soon as the kunai were released from their trap Naruto hurled his own brace of knives to intercept them. It turned out it didn't matter as Hinata had noticed the nin's actions herself and moved out of the line of fire. Naruto almost rolled his eyes at his own naivety. Of course she would notice the trap. The byakugan was one of the most powerful bloodlines in Konoha. It allowed for a nearly 360 degree field of vision, so it was hardly a surprise that she saw the trap.

He was growing worried though. It was obvious that she was getting tired. Fighting two people on her own was a bit too much for even someone of her strength. Naruto decided to intervene. With a stutter step and a flash he appeared behind the surprised mist-nin, quickly executing a chop to the back of his neck. He turned to Hinata and smiled.

"Thanks for distracting him. It made it a lot easier."

Hinata was too busy marveling at the speed she had just witnessed to reply. She had barely even seen him move. Slowly Naruto walked over to her and placed a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about those guys." He said as he jerked his head in the direction of the latest nin to fall. "They'll get up after a while and run away with their tails between their legs. They always do."

Hinata nodded, unsure of what to make of her crush's comment. Her thoughts were quickly wrenched away as he started to walk, pulling her behind him. They were just about to reach the other side of the clearing when Naruto spoke.

"Hey, do you think you could show me some more of that tai chi stuff later?"

Her voice almost failed her, but she managed to squeak out a response.

"I-if you want me to."

All of a sudden he jumped in the air and started to run off towards the village. He turned his head to face her as he ran.

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and nice work today."

She blushed and smiled as she watched him disappear into the distance. He confused her like nobody else. Then again, maybe that was part of what she liked about him.

A/N: No idea where this one came from. Perhaps a hint at when Naruto started to come around to his feelings for her. Yeah, that's the ticket

MichelLover: No one has to be that way. At least they shouldn't. There is no balance for good and bad emotions. Just because someone feels bad doesn't mean someone else will feel good. I guess that's just part of my sunshiney outlook on life. I like it and want as many people to join me as possible. Oh, and you better not try to steal my candy. I'll whup you so hard…..

Dragon Man 180: Congratulations! You were reviewer number 500. Good work and thanks for sticking with me this long.

RawD: Maybe that's true. But I don't think it should be that way. Of course there are people who don't deserve to have anyone….

Raziel Tepes: I know you would have liked him to whup on him. Your love of violence is well documented. Lol. And that certainly explains your skill with English. Good luck on becoming a teacher.

Jays Arravan: Thanks, I enjoyed writing this scene. I like Hiashi as the protective, solemn, but loving dad. He's not all sunshine and lollipops but he's not a jackass either. Kage kids and their bloodlines? I'll get on that soon.

Jester12: Darn right. She can stop your heart with a touch. Doesn't sound like a girl to mess with to me.

Madnarutofan: It all depends on who you intend to hurt who you should fear. Touch Hinata and Naruto will kill you. Insult Naruto and Hinata will kill you. It's a good thing they've got going I think.

Danny-171984: Yes, yes it does. Well at least Hiashi is coming out of his shell some right? He'll get better with time.

BeautifulStruggle: Every girl is a daddy's girl at heart (assuming of course there dad is a good person). Hinata is no different. I'll get back to the kids soon I promise.

Mythril dust: Read them all at once did we? I hope it was worth it. My goal is to bring a little extra happiness to the world. If I succeed in that I'm a happy camper. It seems that you liked pretty much every aspect of my story. Fantastic. I'm quite pleased. In closing NaruHina is the best, I live for sunshine, and true happiness is found in the arms of the one you love. I'll do my best to keep up the level of quality you've grown to expect and hopefully I'll even improve with time. Keep reading. Keep loving.

Elisa7692: I know why you liked it. It was cute. Father daughter moments are just nice. Oh, and "kid"? I'll assume that's just a nickname you happen to use for people, especially since, according to your profile, I'm 8 years older than you. Haha. No worries though. Ja ne.

Kai Otogi: Hahaha. Maybe. I've actually got a plan for how to do it. We'll see how it turns out.

Hopeless-flame: Darn right I like animals. I know how the bad animal luck goes, but I won't get into it. Let's just say that a large number of my animals died in very odd ways. Glad you liked the Hinata as a tough girl chapter. I loved writing it. It was just too sweet.

RLnaruhina: Geez. You're so slow. I don't think you even deserved to get my 500th review. A POX ON YOU!

John Bellamy: Yes it was sentimental (I can spell. Lol) Love and relationships usually are. And all was right with the world…..

Reverse Paradigm: Well friend, I must say that this review irritated me. You broke the basic law of reviewing by essentially just insulting me and not providing any constructive criticism. I've read Demon Sunrise, and I've spoken with the author. Hell, look in his profile and you can see the "hobo name" I gave him. Also, the chapters are short because I wrote the first 30 in 30 days. And I've gone more or less that pace ever since. Sure, I could take longer and write longer chapters, but people seem to like my quick updates. I like the fast story progression so this is what I'm going to do. Don't knock it alright? I'm glad you liked the story even though it doesn't seem much like it.


	51. Everything

A/N: Well I took a slightly longer break than normal to write this chapter. I didn't intend to. That's just what happened. Hopefully you'll think it's worth the wait.

Everything

A pair of pale lavender eyes opened briefly before being screwed tightly shut to block out the sun streaming through an open window. From where she lay in the crook of the blond man's arm she turned her face into his shoulder, burying her nose in the firm muscle of his chest. She took a deep breath, delighting in the aroma that was so purely his. With a small hand that she had draped across his torso she clutched tightly at the loose-fitting white tee shirt he used to sleep in. She cracked open an eye slightly, giggling softly as she took in the sight of her love sleeping with his mouth wide open and his arms splayed off to his sides. Her eyes closed again and she resumed her silent reverie, entranced by the feel of his body against hers. Almost uncontrollably she began to rub her cheek on his cloth-covered shoulder, seeking a greater degree of contact with him. She stopped when she felt him begin to stir, but it was too late to avoid waking him.

A small squeak came from between her lips as the much larger man beside her turned onto his side and wrapped the arm she wasn't laying on around her back, pulling her closer. He smiled lovingly at her as their eyes met. For a few minutes he just laid there, taking in every detail of what he was convinced was the most beautiful face to ever exist on earth or heaven. Eventually the temptation grew to be too great and bent his neck to give her a long slow kiss. When he eventually pulled away he took a deep breath to regain the air he had just lost for the greatest cause ever, and a satisfied grin danced across his lips. He removed his hand from around her back, much to the temporary disappointment of small blue-haired girl before him, and then used it to gently cup her lightly flushed cheek. With his thumb he traced her cheekbone before sliding it down to caress the corner of her lips. Her eyes closed as she turned her face to kiss the pad of the thumb that was roving around her face. She then slid her cheek out of hand, tucking her face snugly into his chest. They couldn't see each other's contented grins as he reached up and tenderly stroked her hair. He kissed her lightly on top of the head before speaking the first words either of them had that morning.

"Good morning Mrs. Uzumaki."

Perhaps the widest smile that had ever been seen on the small girl spread across her face. The arm she had draped around him tightened its grip, drawing her closer into his chest. She spent a moment just absorbing the warmth that he radiated, it comforted her more than anything ever had.

"Morning." She said with a voice muffled by his body.

His cerulean eyes closed as he buried his nose into her dark blue hair.

"You know, I've been thinking. I'm trying to figure out when I was happiest, right now, when you said you would marry me, or during the wedding."

She sighed peacefully as she thought about each of those times in turn. She wasn't sure when she was happiest either, but then she realized the truth.

"Does it really matter?"

He chuckled lightly, the air escaping his mouth caused her hair to rustle slightly.

"Not in the least."

And so they lay there for a while, completely silent and motionless. To some it might seem odd that the perpetually loud and rambunctious blond was actually being quiet, but they just didn't realize why he acted that way in the first place. No longer did he need to fight for the attention he so desperately craved. No longer did he have earn peoples' acceptance. He had already done that, and now, lying in the arms of his loving wife, was his time to enjoy it. Absent-mindedly he stroked her back with his free hand. He loved the way she felt; it was so soft and warm. If he didn't have to he would never let her go.

In his mind he always called her perfect. He knew it wasn't true. No one is actually perfect, and perhaps that's for the best. He loved all of her little fallacies, if that's what you want to call them. The way she still tended to mumble when she got nervous. How she never really figured out how to dance. Even the way she would delicately curse when she stubbed her toe. So what if she wasn't perfect? He couldn't think of anyone better, anyone that he would rather spend the rest of his life with. She brought out emotions in him he didn't even realize he had, and with greater intensity than he ever thought possible. A simple smile from her would send him into the grandest exultations; a single tear would drop him to the lowest of lows. He had finally found the only thing in life he was truly afraid of, losing her. Some things were just too horrible to contemplate.

He smiled as he looked down at her snuggling against his chest, a thought constantly running through his head.

'I could get used to this.'

Then he realized that that was a lie. There was no way he would ever get used to this. He didn't want to. That would imply that it was almost growing old, and he never wanted the feeling he had at that moment to fade.

Meanwhile, Hinata was contemplating just how she had gotten herself here. She had never thought of herself as lucky, but she also didn't think she really deserved to be this happy, so what else could it be besides luck? She chided herself mentally. Naruto hated it when she thought like this. But why? Why did it matter to him what she thought about herself? That's when it hit her. He always told her that he loved her, that he cared about her more than anything else in the world, and Naruto never lied. Not for anything.

A silent tear tried to escape her eye and streak across her face, but she wouldn't let it. He had told her once that it was ok to cry when you are happy, which she was, but she didn't want to spoil the moment. She just wanted to lay here in his arms forever. The gentle rhythm of his hand caressing her back was all she felt she really needed to live. Who needs food when you have love?

She loved everything about him, all of his moods, his quirks, his appearance, everything. She loved the tender words he would whisper in her ear while she cooked, the sound of his heart steadily beating as she rested her head on his chest, the hint of ramen on his breath when he kissed her, and his smell; she could never forget his smell. She took a deep breath, taking in as much of him as she could. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she let out the precious aroma. She giggled quietly at her own thoughts.

"I still haven't figured out what it is you smell like."

He shrugged, making the girl bob up and down a little with the movement.

"You don't need to now. I'll always be here if you need a reminder." He said with a laugh.

Silence reigned again for a moment. The soft sounds of their breathing were all that existed in the room.

"You smell like lilacs."

She shook her head against this chest.

"That's just my shampoo."

His fingers laced themselves through her hair as he engulfed his face with it. He inhaled deeply, repeating her actions from before.

"No it's not. I've smelled you after you've been gone on missions for a few days. The smell is still there."

A tiny fist made contact with his chest.

"That's gross."

"It's gross that I think you still smell beautiful even when you're all dirty?"

She craned her neck so that she was face to face with him.

"Yes." She said with a kiss to his smirking lips. "But it's sweet too."

He laughed as he bent down to claim her lips for another kiss, this one a great deal longer. When the kiss broke she leaned back onto the bed as he propped himself up with his arms to hover over her. The smile she used as she looked up at him was almost sweet enough to drop him right then and there, but he held strong.

"What do you want to do today?"

With her eyes half closed she reached up and laced her arms around his neck, pulling him down into another kiss. When she let him back up he was grinning stupidly as she winked at him.

"I think perhaps we should get dressed and go from there."

His blue eyes sparkled brightly as he beamed down at her.

"You always were the smart one."

And with that he practically leapt from the bed, landing on his feet in front of the dresser and quickly sliding open a drawer and pulling out a neatly folded pair of pants. Of course they were only neatly folded because Hinata had put them there. If Naruto had done it himself these would have been the wrinkliest pants on the face of the planet, and he wouldn't have cared. Hinata did care though, so she was responsible for folding them. She didn't mind, it was one of the things she had grown up doing. It was a habit now.

Suddenly, Naruto spun around without taking time to notice that Hinata was standing directly behind him. The back of his arm clipped her, knocking her off balance. Clumsily she fell backwards towards the rapidly approaching floor. A floor that she never touched.

With a start she woke from her dream. The greatest dream she had ever had. Sadly she forced herself to open her eyes before quickly closing them again to shut out the bright rays of light that were streaking through the window. Without thinking she buried her face into her pillow. Her pillow that was….. breathing? She opened one eye slightly and peaked out at her surroundings. Next to her was one Uzumaki Naruto, arms splayed to the side and his mouth hanging wide open. She snuggled down into where she was laying in the crook of his arm, burying her nose into the white tee shirt he used to sleep in. Reverently she took a deep breath of the smell that was so uniquely his. Rousing herself, she propped herself up with her hands so that she was looking down at the handsome face of the blond man next to her. Slowly she bent down and placed a light kiss on his forehead. Her hadn't intended to wake him. Her intentions had failed. His bright cerulean eyes opened and looked up at her lovingly.

"Good morning Mrs. Uzumaki."

A/N: GAH! I love it. Some chapters are just a pleasure to write. This was one of them.

MichelLover67: Of course you can live your life however you want. I just personally recommend my current way (having tried it both ways.) I look at the stupidity and take it into account. I find the humor in it and think of a way to fix it, but I never let it get to me. Anyways, I'm glad you liked the chapter, and you are very welcome for the knowledge of narutofan. Yep Hinata gives it her all and she's getting better. If you watch the anime they clearly show that in this filler arc that's airing right now. GIVE ME BACK MY CANDY!

Dragon Man 180: I use tai chi myself some. Of course it's a more forceful version. I tense all of my muscles for resistance so it's more of a workout. I like it but it's not quite the same.

Raziel Tepes: Boo to order! Hooray chaos! Well this chapter probably didn't do much for you since it's probably the sweetest thing ever written. Sorry. Darkness will fall soon. I think in two chapters actually. If Kyuubi is in this story it's as a minor role. A tiny voice that chimes in sometimes.

RawD: I needed someone to randomly attack them. I figured "hey, they've done it twice already, why not again?" There you are my friend FLUFF!

Nonengel: Hiashi as a non badguy non goodguy. It's rough but I like it. He's a good dad with a gruff exterior. That's just my way.

RLnaruhina: Defeated by technology. HA. I like the idea of a bunch of midget hobos swarming all over you. Hilarious.

Mythril dust: Ah, well that makes more sense. I'm glad you made it all the way to the end. He calls her starshine because I like the name. She is his north star. Besides, it's a purty name.

John Bellamy: HA! I will rub salt in your wounds! (see what you get for getting to know me?)

Hopeless-flame: Yeah, he's not going to love her all at once. Realization dawns slowly.

Elisa7692: No worries my friend. I was just having a little fun at your expense. I'm glad you liked the mix in that chapter. Fighting with some dawning of emotions. I do what I can.

Lunarangel: Of course I missed you. My shrine has candles burning just for you, praying for your safe return. And as usual I have trouble following everything you say in your review. As usual I'm glad you liked them though. Everything is going according to plan….

Jays Arravan: Yes you are correct. I actually made a factual error for once, and I thank you for pointing it out. I will correct it…… eventually. I don't take tai chi lessons. I just do it. Just concentrate and relax. It's all good.

Anime/Manga lubber: Naruto will do what it takes to become a better ninja, even if that means learning to calm down. I didn't know that. I'm a geezer though so it doesn't really surprise me. Heh.

Danny-17984: Here you go. Plenty of fluff to rest your head on.

Aloi-chan: Nah. Don't worry about it. We all do what we can, when we can do it. Review whenever you can because I love to hear from you. May you never find a live turtle in your soup….


	52. Homecoming

Homecoming

Three people stood just outside the gates of Konoha facing the woods. On the right was the head of the Uzumaki clan, Uzumaki Naruto. To his left was the shortest of the three, his wife Uzumaki Hinata. Her midnight blue hair swayed gently in the soft breeze as she leaned against her husband's arm. And on the far left was Uzumaki Natsuki, her light blue hair trailed down to the middle of her back. She was taller than her mother by a few inches, but still not nearly as tall as her father. She stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a rather bored expression on her face.

"When is that brat going to get here?"

A quick hand from her mother lightly smacked the back of her head, causing her hair to flip up as she jerked her head forward.

"Don't call him that."

Natsuki turned her pale blue byakugan eyes to her mother, a smirk that bordered on laughter tugging at her lips.

"I'll stop calling him one when he proves me wrong."

Suddenly the blond man pointed down the road at a steadily growing cloud of dust.

"Looks like he'll get that chance in just a minute."

All three of them turned to watch the approaching cloud in earnest. Well, everyone but Natsuki, who was busy trying to look nonchalant, like she didn't care about her brother's return. Her parents knew better though. They had heard the excitement in her voice whenever she asked when 'the brat' was going to be back. The simple truth was that she missed Kanai. He was her little brother after all, and he wasn't that annoying most of the time.

The dust continued to approach with blinding speed, and just when it got within ten feet of them it came to a sudden stop. Slowly the dust subsided to reveal the young blond slightly hunched over with a white haired girl clinging to his back. He took a moment to turn his head and regard the girl out of the corner of his eye.

"I still don't know why I had to carry you."

She just smiled her smile that ends all of their disagreements and pecked him on the cheek.

"Because you love me."

Kanai grumbled and rolled his eyes as he let the green-eyed girl down from her perch. It was then that he noticed the laughter. He looked up questioningly to see his dad with head thrown back laughing loudly, his sister was hunched over and pointing at him as she laughed, and his mom had a hand covering her mouth as she contained her laughter to a soft giggle. A blush spread across his face momentarily before he took on a rather indignant stance.

"What's so funny?"

His question only caused them to laugh harder. He awkwardly glanced back at Ami who was doing her best to hide behind him, clutching his shirt in her delicate hands. He was just about to ask her what was wrong when he noticed the deep red blush covering her cheeks and realized what was going on. He spun back to face his family and immediately tried to change the subject, anything to get their minds off what they had just seen.

"Aren't you going to welcome me back?"

Hinata was the first to cease her laughing and she quickly made her way over to her son and seized him in a tight hug. At fifteen he was already taller than him, it almost made her sad to think of how fast he had grown up. She gave him a final squeeze before kissing his cheek and taking a step back.

"I missed you."

One side of his lips curled up in a grin as he reached up and absent-mindedly scratched his head.

"I missed you too Mom."

His dad was the next to greet him as Hinata talked with Ami about where she would be staying while in Konoha. Naruto extended a hand to Kanai that he quickly accepted. It seemed like they were just going to shake hands when Naruto suddenly pulled his son in close and gave him a hug, patting his back vigorously. He pulled back and lovingly clamped his hand on Kanai's shoulder.

"It's good to see you kid."

He laughed as he playfully punched Naruto in the shoulder.

"Thanks Dad."

He was just about to continue when a light blue blur nearly tackled him. He looked to see his sister Natsuki, who until a moment ago had been doing her very best to seem like she hadn't missed him at all, was now clinging to his chest and fighting to hold back her tears. She whispered softly into his shoulder.

"Welcome home brat."

Kanai fondly wrapped his arms around her back and held her close to him. He turned his head and spoke softly in her ear.

"It's good to be back."

He then made a grab for her sides and started to tickle her.

"And stop calling me brat."

Natsuki laughed openly as he tickled her, but that was not all she was doing. Without warning she kicked Kanai's legs out from underneath him. He fell in an unceremonious heap as his sister stood over him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Not until you beat me brat."

He kicked up to his feet before he sighed dejectedly.

"That's not fair. You're six years older than I am."

Natsuki put her hands on her hips and looked at him condescendingly.

"Yeah? So? What's your point? A real man wouldn't make excuses like that."

Kanai shook his head in disbelief, but let it go at that. It wasn't worth arguing with his sister over it. And besides, he would show her who was the brat some day. His silent contemplation was interrupted by his sister's squeal as she rushed over and hugged his girlfriend. He almost laughed as he watched Ami struggle to breathe in Natsuki's vice like grip, but he decided it might be better to help her out. He walked over and tapped his sister on the shoulder.

"Um, Natsuki? Do you think you could let her go now? She's not looking so good."

Natsuki's eyes went wide as she realized what she was doing. She promptly dropped Ami, and steadied her with an outstretched arm.

"Sorry about that. I'm just excited to see you."

Natsuki was shocked as she was suddenly caught up in the smaller girl's arms and lifted off the ground. The air was forced from her lungs as the girl squeezed a little harder. And just as quickly as it began she was set back on the ground and staring in the face of her broadly smiling friend.

"I'm excited to see you too Natsuki."

The two girls laughed slightly before stepping forward and hugging each other again, this time much more gently. By the time they finished Naruto was standing beside them, waiting his turn to welcome his little boy's girlfriend for another visit to his village. Ami smiled sweetly as she gave her second dad a loving hug.

"It's good to see you again Naruto."

The blond man pulled her away from him by his shoulders and beamed openly at her.

"You finally got rid of the san at the end of my name! It's about time. It's not like you're not part of the family or something."

Her smile broadened again and her emerald eyes seemed to sparkle in the light from the setting sun. Then she nodded her head decisively.

"Hnn." She agreed.

"Now come on. Your old room is all ready, so we can drop off your stuff and get some dinner."

In a flash Kanai was standing in front of him, a huge hungry grin on his face. Naruto was about to laugh when he noticed that Natsuki and Ami bore the exact same expressions as his son.

"Ok, I guess we should hurry."

Ami nodded as a cloud of sand formed beneath her feet and immediately lifted her above everyone else's heads. Kanai looked up at her with a mixture of awe and love. He whispered to his sister.

"She's such a show off."

Suddenly a platform of sand lifted him off the ground as well, up to where Ami was floating.

"I heard that."

He just smiled at her as he hopped over to the sand she was on and placed his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"It's just one of the things I love about you."

She locked her hands behind his neck and nudged her face closer to his.

"Darn right it is." She murmured as she kissed his lips softly.

And then the hooting and cheering came from below. The couple looked down embarrassed as Naruto and Natsuki whooped and pumped their fists in encouragement and Hinata tried to quiet them down. Kanai just rolled his eyes and turned to face Ami, who was still in his arms beside him.

"Welcome to the family."

A/N: I'm leading up to something. No spoilers but next chapter is going to be exciting. BWAHHAAHAHAHA.

RLnaruhina: Well you finally managed to be the first reviewer. Good work. I'm glad that toothpaste worked for you. It would be tough to convince your Hinata to date you if you had messed up teeth….

Dragon Man 180: Gotta love my tricksy nature. Lol. Hinata will always get the good end in my story. I love her too much to disappoint her.

MichelLover: Well I hope you see it someday. It's a truly great thing. Everyone has a scent. Generally your attraction to someone has something to do with pheromones. Pheromones contain chemical signals as to how your immune system works. So biologically your children will have a better immune system if you have them with someone who's immune system is strong against different things than yours. You will find such a person more attractive as far as scent goes. Of course that is just the scientific aspect. In truth there is more to it than that but I can't really explain it. You'll probably notice it someday. Ja ne.

RawD: Thank you. I absolutely loved that chapter. The loneliness is strong but the hope still exists. Good luck to you my friend.

John Bellamy: Interesting and disinteresting? Ooook. Well I hope the interesting outweighed its opposite.

Thestoneox: You're damn right that was a lot of fluff. I love it. Well as long as both sides of the coin make you happy you won't be disappointed by my random story mood changes. My speed is stupid. Don't feel bad about not updating faster. I just don't have a life. Sigh. The truth hurts. And as for my review for Patient Mountain, well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right? Sure it wasn't an intentional copying of style and I wouldn't stop even if he asked me too (since you can't really own a general style like timeline jumping) but I thought it would be nice for him to know that I respect him and like his style.

Madnarutofan: Glad you liked it. Hmm, perhaps I'll check it out (I'm a little busy usually. But I'll try) Don't worry about dark. As long as you didn't pick off Hinata or Naruto I'll be fine with it. I'll look forward to reading it.

Raziel Tepes: Next chapter my friend. Next chapter.

Warprince2000: I want you to say something different for each chapter. What did you like about it? What didn't you like? Did anything sound odd? Anything but your copying and pasting of the same comment over and over. It's disrespectful of the amount of work I, and all the other authors on this site put into our stories.

Anime/Manga lubber: The best? Really? Awesome! I'm so pleased I may just do a hobo dance. I know I'm not a geezer. I just like to say stupid things sometimes. Ok most of the time.

Danny-171984: I'll do my best to keep the fluff pouring from the pillows in my head. I worship at the altar of NaruHina. Lol. Weeeee.

Elisa7692: Thank you. That's all I can really say. Your review just made me so happy. It's reviews like yours that make me want to keep writing. So, thanks again. I appreciate it. And I hope you find someone who treats you as well as Naruto treats Hinata some day too. And you can't write too much. I love it no matter how long it is.

Hopeless-flame: Big big smile for this review. The fact that you re-read it is a fantastic compliment. You made a slight mistake though. She didn't not hit the ground because Naruto caught her. It was because she woke up from the dream. The fact that the dream was just like reality was the ultra fuzzy ending point. Heh. Sorry about the confusion.

Lunarangel: It certainly is one of the best things in the world. If not the very best. You analyzed that chapter perfectly. It's nice to see someone catch all of my meanings. I can be rather confusing sometimes. Thanks as for reviewing as always. I'll continue to look forward to your nuttiness to compliment my own. Peace.

Kai Otogi: If I had to determine why I have that talent I would have to say it's because I'm very relaxed myself. I go with the flow and smile whenever I can. I'm just doing my best to spread some of that around.

Nonengel: Ah love is in the air, and the bed. Yay!

Blinkin: Hey, you stayed up til almost 5 AM to read my story. I'm not crazy enough to demand that you stay up the rest of the night to read the rest. Geez. I can't say how happy I am that my story can improve your mood. That means everything to me. 51 chapters in 2 days and it managed to maintain a semblance of originality? Well then, my goals have been achieved. Yeah, typos are just a part of life when you don't proofread chapters. Heh. I love Natsuki too. She is quite possibly my favorite OC. Yeah, I introduced Moeko and then never really did anything with her. I'll have to find more ways to include her. I have some plans for that. We'll see how they work out. Well I'm glad my names are right kind of. This is certainly the most educational of all of my reviews even if I don't really understand it (my background knowledge of Japanese doesn't exist.) As for Tsuyomaru, since I use kanjisite dot com for my translations that is just the word that came up for "to become strong" I don't really understand how to convert it to name form or anything. :shrug: Actually now that I look it up I screwed up a little. "to become strong" is actually tsuyomeru. Oops. Oh well. I can't be right about everything I guess. Thanks for the pointers. Hopefully I can come to you if I have any naming questions in the future (muahahahah aol mail tells me your screenname lol). Later my friend.


	53. Hand in Hand

A/N: Sorry about the wait. I've been very busy applying to vet school. Unfortunately, not screwing myself over for my future comes before this fic. I wish that I didn't have to worry about it and that I could write for you all every night, but 'tis not to be. I hate stress

Warprince2000: Since you apparently don't like scrolling down and reading my response to your reviews. This is something of a warning, but it's not much of a threat. If I see the same review from you again I will block you from reviewing. I'm tired of being insulted by your lazy reviews. I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I just want some respect. Thanks.

Hand in Hand

A couple lay sleeping peacefully in their bed as the day wound down. One of their children was still out for the night with his girlfriend.

Most parents would worry about them doing something inappropriate. Naruto and Hinata were not most parents. Besides, the father of the girlfriend was the Godaime Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand. He had made it clear to the young boy what would happen if he did _anything_ that he didn't approve of. He didn't give him a list either. He wanted to keep him on his toes.

The blue haired girl grimaced in her sleep, snuggling closer to her husband for comfort. It didn't work. Even when he sleepily wrapped his arms around her she still felt ill at ease. Something was wrong. Her lavender eyes snapped open just before an explosion racked the outer walls of Konoha. Even before she had a chance to look to Naruto he was out of bed and sliding in to his pants. She blinked and his shirt was on. He extended his hand to her and motioned towards the window.

"Let's go."

He didn't have to wait long as she was as quick to get dressed as he was. In a flash they were outside, making their way towards the source of the noise. Fallen leaves whipped into the ground as the pair raced through the streets of Konoha. Before long people were starting to pour out into the streets to find out what was happening so the two shinobi were forced to take to the roofs. There feet made no sound as they ran so fast the people below couldn't even see them move.

In moments they arrived at where the wall had been breached to see several Konoha ninja already locked in combat with the attackers. One such assailant made the terrible mistake of trying to attack Naruto while he was still in shock because of suddenness of the onslaught. The sound of his ribs shattering under the Rokudaime Hokage's knuckles echoed through the city as his body made another hole in the wall. Naruto winced as he noticed whom he had hit.

"What the hell are the Sound doing here?"

Hinata slid into a fighting stance, preparing to join the battle.

"We always knew they would attack someday."

The blond just shrugged.

"Yeah, but I figured they would wait a while longer to prepare."

Suddenly Hinata's body went stiff.

"Oh no! What about Kanai and Ami?"

Naruto almost laughed at her concern. He knew what she meant, but she was severely underestimating their son and his girlfriend.

"They can take care of themselves."

As if to prove his point a sickle made of sand cleaved an unprepared sound-nin in half. Naruto smirked as the kids appeared next to him.

"Never seen your dad use that one before."

The emerald eyed girl shot a sly glance at the blond.

"My dad isn't the only one who likes to find new ways to use sand."

Naruto laughed just as his wife and son delivered jyuken hits to the hearts of two approaching sound-nins. Kanai chuckled wryly and shook his head.

"This is actually kind of boring. They're all too weak."

It seems Hinata was the only one taking this seriously. She was just about to scold the other three when another explosion ripped through the wall, pelting them with debris. A rock the size of a small house came hurtling directly towards the small group. Naruto was quick to wind up and throw what appeared to be a rasengan at the hurtling boulder. All that was left after the impact was a small cloud of dust. The entire group looked at him in shock as he smirked proudly. Kanai was the first to speak.

"When did you learn that one?"

The blond man casually scratched the back of his head as kunai and shuriken continued to fly through the air around them.

"Before you were born." He winked as he continued. "I like to have some secrets from you guys." Then he placed his finger to his lips. "Shhh. Don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry. I won't." An eerie voice said from the wall. "Not that it will matter in a moment."

The man did not get the reaction he had been hoping for. Naruto just started walking away, sighing deeply.

"Kanai. Ami. I'll leave this guy to you. I'm going to go help out someone else."

The man promptly puffed out his chest in indignation, glaring at the man who had just insulted him so greatly.

"Leaving children to fight me! I am the Otokage! The greatest ninja in all of the Sound!"

Naruto shrugged and continued to walk away.

"That's fine. You shouldn't be much of a problem for these two."

His eyes went black with rage. He had never been so insulted in his entire life.

"Oh?" He growled. "How about now?"

As he finished speaking black lines erupted from a mark on his neck. They shot straight out from the seal and covered his face and body in diagonal lines. Never did the lines curve. They simply wrapped around his body whenever they came to a bend. Whenever the lines met another they stopped, creating a series of black triangles all over the man's body. Naruto glanced back over his shoulder this time, but still only shrugged at the man's display.

"That's fine. Now I won't have to answer so many questions about what it's like to fight someone with a cursed seal." He looked over at Kana and Ami. "You two have fun." He said with a wave.

Both kids waved back as he started to walk away again with Hinata before crouching into their respective fighting stance. Kanai dropped into a modified jyuken stance. His knees were bent low and his arms were in the traditional guard, but his hands were loose, ready to form a fist or strike open hand at any moment. Ami barely bent her legs for her stance, instead choosing to stand tall with her hands held open in front of her. Kanai looked over to her, briefly marveling at the way her pure white hair swayed in the breeze before shaking that thought free.

"You ready?"

She smiled her radiant smile and nodded, and then they were off. Kanai darted forward, as the daughter of the Kazekage surrounded him with a cloud of blades made of sand. Moments before everything made contact a pillar of sand shot up behind the sound-nin, knocking him forward into the waiting fist of Uzumaki Kanai. The blow sent him careening back out through the hole in the wall and into the trees. The couple shared a brief glance before returning to the task at hand.

Meanwhile Naruto and Hinata were simply marching through the battlefield, defeating enemy ninja left and right. Naruto was growing so board with how easily the fight was going he was almost glad that the rest of the rookie nine plus Neji's old team were out on missions. He decided to make it a bit more fun. Smoothly he reached out and grabbed his lovely wife's slender wrist, pulling her close to him. His cerulean eyes locked on her pale lavender ones and he smiled.

"Care to dance?"

She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"You're an idiot." She said with a smile.

He laughed.

"I don't hear you saying no."

Her eyes rolled slightly.

"Shut up and lead."

And so he did. He quickly spun her out and she whipped her open palm into the face of an unsuspecting enemy. He didn't even make a sound as he fell. Next Naruto swung her between his legs, driving her feet into the back of a nin who was occupied with one of Konoha's chuunin. The impact drove him forward into the chuunin's waiting kunai. A small grunt was all the noise he made as he crumpled to the ground clutching the hole in his stomach.

Hinata's younger sister Hanabi barely stifled a laugh as she watched the couple clearly enjoying themselves on the battlefield. They could afford to take it somewhat less than seriously. There were very few people in the world who could touch them in battle, let alone in the group of attacking nins. Even while goofing around they moved faster than most people there could even see. It hardly seemed fair.

The dark blue-haired girl giggled as her husband tossed her in the air. He delivered a spinning roundhouse kick to a nin that was foolish enough to attack him and the caught her in his waiting arms. A kunai zoomed at his face as he stared down at the lovely creature in his arms; the ever-observant Hinata intercepted it though, sliding a finger through the hole at the base and stopping it an inch before it made contact. She winked at him.

"I like your face just the way it is."

She tossed the kunai back at its owner, striking him in the throat. Naruto winced as he watched the man's lifeblood pour from the wound.

"I remember now why I try not to make you mad."

Before she could respond an anbu member appeared beside them.

"Hokage-sama, we need assistance at the east wall."

Naruto sighed as he set Hinata down. He knelt and offered his back to her.

"Your carriage awaits."

She rolled her eyes as she climbed on to his back, lacing her arms loosely around his neck. She gently dug her knees into his sides.

"Giddyap."

A/N: Ok, I'm stopping it there for now. I know it's not a great cut off point, but I'm tired. Don't worry, things will pick up next chapter. I hope you liked this one too though.

Blinkin: I know how that goes. I saw the sunrise many times over the summer, and it's not because I'm an early riser.

MichelLover: I'm leaning towards the dirty mind. You must have missed something though, Ami has known Naruto, Hinata, and Natsuki longer than Kanai has been alive. All animals have pheromones not just bugs. Ja ne is Japanese slang for "see you later" approximately. I give hobo names to people that want them. RLnaruhina was the first and he got one as a joke because I talk to him online a lot.

Dragon Man 180: Yes, yes they do. Who said anything about them going to Ichiraku? I like to think that Kanai, Ami, and Hinata would veto any ramen aspirations Naruto has. Ramen isn't a celebration meal after all.

Kai Otogi: Love is fun. Heh. As cheesy as it is, I love love.

RawD: Huargh? It's leading up to this. I wonder what you were thinking.

DarkDallas: There's a little Shikamaru in all of us I think. Yeah I know. I didn't plan on killing Sasuke originally. I just liked the whole idea too much to not use it. There are times when I wish he was still around though. Don't worry about Naruto lifespan or anything. I know how I'm going to end the story long before I'm even close to doing it. You'll just have to wait to find out though.

Raziel Tepes: Semi dark this chapter. Gets a bit blacker next time as the fighting picks up. I hope you realize you're my prime darkness fan.

Danny-171984: Yes she is staying at the Leaf again. I know my timeline jumping is a bit confusing but she has stayed there before. Kanai and Ami had been going back and forth between the villages for the past few years. Kanai and Natsuki are just extensions of the relationship. You can always see touches of their parents in them, and Hinata and Naruto are mentioned in every chapter unlike their kids. I think I'll just keep writing this story as it is. A lot of interconnected stories that all have to do with Naruto and Hinata's relationship in some way.

Jester12: Don't worry, there's still a lot more to come. A lot.

RLnaruhina: Watch out for the ones with the mini pitchforks. They suck. And the arc goes on.

Mythril dust: The cyclic part of 51 is one of my favorite things I've done with this story. I'm glad you appreciated it.

Aloi-chan: Well, they aren't married yet. That would be a touch too close I think. Maybe someday though.

Xs sparky: Don't worry about starting late. I get new reviewers all the time (they always make me happy). Welcome to the gang. And watch where you're poking.

No Jutsu: 52 chapters of fun I hope. Sorry though, no monkey. As much as I love them they just don't have a place in this story. Maybe someone who looks like a monkey though……

Hopeless-flame: It's a potent line. Use it and watch your boyfriend crumble. They will be swearing in their heads but smiling on their face.

Elisa7692: I'm working on my other story very slowly. Hopefully, by the end it will be good enough to publish. Thank you very much for your support and compliments. They mean a lot to me. I write for reviews, you review so I write. It's a great cycle.

Anime/Manga lubber: All family is embarrassing. But we love them so we don't care.

Madnarutofan: I think I covered Gaara's feelings on the issue satisfactorily in this chapter. I hope you agree. I'm all about the sunshine. Feel the warmth. Heh.

John Bellamy: 9 out of 10? Sounds good to me. If everyone gave me that rating I think I could consider myself a bonafide hit. That would be fun


	54. Broken Memories

A/N: Wow. 19 reviews for the previous chapter in one day. Simply amazing. Thank you all so much.

Broken Memories

In mere moments the pair arrived at the east wall, Hinata still clinging to his back. Neither of them were prepared for the image of devastation they saw. There, snapping his massive jaws ferociously, was the Lord of Snakes, Manda. Naruto shuddered. It had been a very long time since he had last seen this summon. It brought back bad memories since the last time he had almost died when Kabuto had cut the chakra pathways leading to his heart. He calmly let his blue-haired wife down from his back.

"Hang on. I've got a call to make."

He promptly bit his thumb and swiped the blood across his palm before slamming it into the ground.

"Kuchiyose no justu!"

Immediately a complex pattern of seals emerged on the ground around his hand and a cloud of smoke obscured the area. It dissipated to reveal a small toad about the size of a volleyball. The squat red amphibian saluted him.

"Yo!"

Naruto knelt before his summon and looked him in the eye.

"Yo. Go ask the boss if he feels like tangling with an old friend. An old purple friend."

The toad wasted no time in disappearing in another puff of smoke, reappearing moments later.

"Pops says he's glad you called. He was getting bored. He's been looking forward to a good old fashioned rumble."

"Thanks kid."

"Anytime." He said as he left for good this time.

Naruto raised himself to his full height of six foot two and smirked broadly.

"Let's go Boss! Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

His palm impacted the ground again and the seals spread outward. This time the cloud was much larger, and when it cleared Naruto was standing on top of a very large, very surly toad who was smoking a pipe. Just then Hinata appeared beside him on top of the giant toad. She had just gotten done receiving a report from one of the guards that had been stationed here during the attack. Naruto turned to face her expectantly.

"What did you find out? And how the hell did Manda get here?"

Hinata was quick to begin her explanation.

"Apparently the attack here started after the other one. They allowed just enough time to allow the majority of our forces to make it to the other site. As for Manda, one of the anbu said he saw a ring of about fifteen jounin sound nins crouched around a giant seal. They all did a summoning jutsu at once and it seems that together they had enough power to summon Manda. Of course it didn't end well for them. As soon as Manda appeared he attacked the people who summoned him and ate them, then he just started attacking anyone in sight."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow before bending at the waist to look Gama Bunta in the eye.

"You ready?"

In one smooth motion the toad lord drew his massive kodachi. He chuckled softly, causing puffs of smoke to burst forth from between his lips with each laugh.

"Yeah, I always wanted a pair of snake skin boots."

Naruto shook his head, his blond hair swaying with the movement, before striking an overly dramatic pose. His right leg was bent as he had it up high on top of Gama Bunta's head. His left leg was straight and behind the right one. With a massive movement he swung his right arm above his head before pointing at the area ahead of them.

"Let's go!"

With a powerful leap they were propelled into the air. They reached the peak of their ascent and began to rapidly fall, right above the great snake. Gama Bunta pointed the tip of his kodachi downwards, preparing to run his greatest enemy through. And it might have worked too if they hadn't been noticed. The snake turned his huge eyes skyward, his slitted pupils widening with surprise. He quickly slithered out of the way. The instant the toad landed he was assaulted by the gaping maw of Manda. He quickly brought the flat of his blade up to deflect the attack. And so the two wrestled for dominance, with each trying to push the other back. Of course this fight was not one on one. A blond streak leapt from the huge toad's head and past where the two creatures were engaged in a test for strength. He reared back a mighty fist, glowing with blue and red chakra that swirled around it. With a beastial roar he drove his fist into the snake's nose, causing his head to slam into the ground violently.

"And stay down!"

Manda did not comply, at least not entirely. Almost as continuation of his downward movement he burrowed into the ground, quickly disappearing beneath the surface.

Naruto hopped back on Gama Bunta's head as the toad lord glanced about warily.

"Quit your hiding you coward!" The monstrous toad bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Suddenly the ground started to crumble beneath them, and Gama Bunta promptly directed his attention to his feet where he expected the next attack to come from. It was a very good thing Naruto was with him.

"Boss! Behind you!"

The warning was rapidly heeded as he swung his gigantic kodachi around, catching Manda in the side of the head with the unsharpened back of the blade. Even without the cutting power, the force was enough to send the humongous snake flying into the great concrete walls of Konoha. The structure was completely unable to support the weight of one of the greatest summon creatures in existence and immediately crumbled under the pressure.

From where he landed Manda whipped his tail out and tore the blade from Gama Bunta's grip. He tossed it into the woods where it crushed a number of trees as it slid along the ground. The kodachi ended its slide by shattering an especially large tree into splinters.

Naruto's eyes went impossibly wide as his irises turned red around his newly slitted pupils. He took a moment to glance down at Hinata who was staring out into the woods with her hand over her open mouth. A single tear trailed down her cheek. Few new the significance of that tree, and none would realize just how important it was to the Hokage and his wife. That was the tree in which Hinata finally told Naruto about her feelings for him. That was the tree in which she saved him from the loneliness. Manda was not about to get away with destroying it.

"Boss, I'm sending you back."

The toad replied solemnly.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for inviting me out. I had fun. Good luck kid."

And with that the huge summon disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto landed lightly on the ground and snarled at the giant snake.

"Luck has nothing to do with it."

He vanished. Manda flicked his tongue out, trying to pick up the scent of the blond shinobi. He succeeded, but too late. Naruto appeared standing beside his enormous green eyes. He lashed out with a kunai, slicing diagonally across the eye. The giant snake threw its head back and howled with pain. Naruto deftly planted his feet into a tree and ricocheted to the ground. He calmly strode over to where the snake was thrashing wildly about on the ground, a blue orb spinning to life in his palm. He made his way until he was beneath Manda's scaly belly.

"Rasengan." He whispered as he thrust his hand upwards.

The resulting explosion hurled the massive snake high into the air. Just as Manda landed, causing a huge cloud of debris to fill the air, Naruto appeared next to his wife who was surrounded by a protective ring of Konoha ninja. He extended his hand.

"I need to borrow your kodachi for a moment."

Without a word she drew it from her sheath and placed it in his hand.

"Thanks."

And with that he was gone again. Instantaneously he was back standing on the face of the humongous snake. He glared fiercely into his one good eye. Manda tried to shake him off but his chakra grip was too strong. Naruto pointed the blade at his eye.

"Never mess with the things I hold dear to me."

He slashed, removing sight completely from the huge summon. He flipped up and over, so that he was positioned to land in the middle of the snake's head.

"Or be prepared to pay the consequences."

He drove the blade home into the center of the snake's brain. Smoke was all that was left as Manda disappeared from this world, hopefully forever.

When Naruto touched the ground again Hinata was there waiting for him. Somberly he wiped the blood off of her kodachi on his pants and handed it back to her. She graciously accepted and sheathed the weapon. Quickly she moved to hug her husband who was just barely containing his tears. She tenderly wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest, an action he was swift to reciprocate. She sighed as she tightly gripped the fabric of the back of his shirt.

"It's ok Naruto-kun. It already served its purpose."

He buried his nose in her dark blue hair.

"Yeah."

He lifted his face and pulled a little away from her, looking into her eyes.

"Looks like they've got things under control here. Let's go check on the kids."

She nodded and they vanished from that particular field of battle, making their way to a different one.

In the mean time the kid's battle was heating up. The man who had called himself the Otokage emerged from the trees he had been thrown into, a series of cuts covering his body. He silently cursed his own weakness. He quickly altered his assessment though, deciding that he wasn't weak, these kid's were just abnormally strong. He never expected to have to do this, but it seemed he was going to have to.

An eerie purple aura started to radiate from his body as he uttered a low growling noise. Slowly the lines on his body started to expand to cover his entire body.

Slightly worried, Kanai and Ami exchanged glances. The knowledge that the other was there was enough to restore their confidence, and they turned to face their opponent once more.

Slowly he completed his transformation. His new body had dark spikes emerging from his shoulders, elbows, knuckles, and knees. His eyes were now indistinct swirls of black and purple. The changed man smirked at them sadistically.

"Ah, much better."

At that moment the pair shared the same thought. This could be trouble

A/N: Part 2 of the battle. Hope it was as good as the first. No dance fighting, but some other interesting stuff I think. Well you know the drill. I like reviews. Please give me them.

RLnaruhina: You were first. I guess advance warning helps a bit. Good work. Go dance fighting! It makes the fighting even more fun. Yeah, you can steal that if you want. It's cool that you told me. HUARGH!

Blinkin: Well, I guess cliffhangers have to come sometime ne? Usually when I'm getting too tired to continue. Heh. I like sleep. Actual laughter? Sweet. That means it was actually funny and not just kind of funny.

MichelLover: They don't suck. Hinata and Naruto are just super strong in this story. They're giving everyone else a run for their money I'm just not covering that. However, it is my feeling that after Orochimaru and then Kabuto died that the strength of the Sound village would go downhill. :shrug: I can't win 'em all. I'll try to do better by you next time.

Danny-171984: Yes laugh away. I feed on it and grow stronger. Much stronger. MUAHAHAHAHAHA.

Dragon Man 180: Even so I didn't give the kids Naruto's love of ramen. I love the "Giddyap" line. It made me laugh as I wrote it. That mean's it's good. Heh.

Kai Otogi: Danke. Appreciate it.

RawD: Yeah. I have to reread my responses to understand reviews sometimes. Good times. I think I'm just nuts. Though I am rather stressed……

Thestoneox: Just a little. I'm just trying to teach him a lesson in manners. I would have liked to keep the warnings in the normal response section, but apparently he doesn't read them. Everybody loved the dance fighting. I guess I can count that as a good idea on my part. Thanks.

Shinata Azechi: Yay! Chalk up another victory for the dance fighting. Possibly my most popular idea ever.

Raziel Tepes: More darkness for my little shadow buddy. Even darker than last chapter actually. Good times.

Flameraven1: Yeah, I'm leaning towards both. The line between genius and insanity is a blurry one. I like to think I'm standing on it. Well they are the kid's of two kages/jinchuuriki, and they each have their own special powers. That's not so bad is it?

Warprince2000: Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for. I understand your confusion and I try to include a characters age in every chapter, or at least a reference point like the day after the wedding. I know it's still a little hard to keep track of (I lose track myself sometimes) but you can do it if you try.

Jays Arravan: You've read stories with dance fighting before? Hmm. I've never seen one. That's cool though. Time jumping will resume soon.

Hopeless-flame: And I don't have a girlfriend to use that line on me (no I'm not proposing) um what the heck is up with bleach! do you mean blech::shrug: Everybody loved the dance fighting. I'm glad. It's nice to have such a popular idea. And look out Gaara is coming for you Kanai!

Mythril dust: funny plus action equals good. That's hobo math for you. Multiply by fluff to get some crazy high awesome. Heh. Yeah. Don't attack the home of two of the strongest ninja's ever. Especially if their kids are around.

John Bellamy: Damn that's a high rating. Don't worry I don't give the bible 10/10 either then again I'm agnostic so the bible is just a tome of hate to me. :shrug: Ah well, it's not all bad. It's nice to hear that I'm improving as I go along too. I would hate to think that my writing wasn't improving with time.

Xs sparky: Wow! Another dance scene lover. I've got find some way to repeat that.

Anime/Manga lubber: Nope, I can't dance either. Well, I can do some stupid liquid dancing. If you don't know what that is…… um ….. good.

Elisa7692: And yet another dance fighting lover. My best idea ever apparently. Wow, I've got you hooked. I've created a raging hobo junkie. Awesome.


	55. The Next Generation

The Next Generation

The ominous purple in the man's eyes churned violently as he looked between his two young opponents. He glanced first at the boy. He knew him to be the son of the Hokage, Uzumaki Kanai. He was going to have to watch out for that one. As the child of a jinchuuriki and a Hyuuga he was privy to two of the most powerful bloodlines in history. The girl he didn't know as much about. She had used sand to attack him though; and he had only heard of one other person doing that. The hitai-ate from the Sand she wore around her neck only helped to confirm his suspicions. She was the child of the Godaime Kazekage. In the end, he though, it didn't matter. They were both still just kids after all.

A cold laugh poured forth from between his dark lips, sending a shiver down the young shinobis' spines. A black finger was pointed at the pair, its owner grinning maliciously.

"I'm going to sing the two of you a dirge."

He hunched over slightly and a low growl began to build in his throat. Then his jaws opened wide and an earth-shattering roar issued forth. Chunks of the wall that were in the way crumbled to dust as the wave of sound raced towards them. Ami quickly erected a wall of sand to protect herself. Kanai was not so lucky. All he could do was cross his arms in front of him to try to ward off the attack. The impact was enough to send him flying backwards and through a wall of a nearby house. Emerald eyes shining with horror, Ami wasted no time in rushing to his aid. In a flash she was inside the house with him and hurling chunks of debris off of him. Eventually she had him uncovered and saw he was lying with his eyes closed…. And a grin on his face?

"Ow." He muttered as he sat up. "You forgot to shield me Beautiful."

A small sad frown creased her face as she helped him to his feet.

"Sorry." She whispered.

She really didn't want him to be upset with her. She had grown to love the young blond in the years they had spent together. Not nearly as dense as his father, Kanai noticed her worry and was quick to alleviate her fears.

"I'm just messing with you. Besides, we've got bigger problems right now." He said as he nodded his head towards the spiky man who was calmly walking towards them.

Quickly the young Uzumaki plucked a set of kunai from his pouch and heaved them at the approaching enemy. It took only a moment for him to dodge the kunai. It wasn't even difficult. But that instant was all the couple needed to spring into action. The Otokage started as the ground almost seemed to melt beneath his feet and he began to sink into the ground. He looked up in time to see a boy, pupiless blue eyes blazing, rapidly descending towards him, his fist pulled back to strike. He smirked as he raised his hands and brought them promptly together. The shockwave that issued forth from his hands in a semi-circle was more than enough to blow Kanai backwards again. This time he was more prepared, and he quickly corrected his flight into a back flip. Gently he landed on the roof of the house he had just been so violently been invited in to.

The dark man seemed less inclined to give them time to attack now as he reached into his pouch for something. Both kids were surprised when he pulled out what appeared to be about a ten-foot long bullwhip. They exchanged incredulous glances as they pondered what good such a weapon was going to be. In general a whip was far too slow to be effective against ninja as highly skilled as they both were.

Suddenly he lashed out with his weapon. This earned a pair of fairly amazed looks from the stunned teens, as they were at least twenty feet away. Far out of range of the whip's normal attack. Just as the whip was reaching the end of its length he snapped it back, causing the tip to crack forward, breaking the sound barrier. The resulting sound wave shattered the wall behind Ami. She barely had enough time to shield herself with her sand before it collapsed on top of her. Unfortunately, her momentary lack of concentration caused her to break her jutsu and allow the man to extricate his feet from the ground.

As soon as he was free he started to thrash his whip about wildly. At the end of each strike the objects closest to it exploded. He wasn't leaving any openings for them to exploit and his hits were growing rapidly closer to actually connecting with them as they dodged. A particularly vicious swing would have hit Kanai in the face if it hadn't been for some quick intervention on Ami's part. The ball of sand she threw up to absorb the attack shattered under the impact and suddenly Kanai's perfect byakugan sight was clouded by hundreds of irritating grains. Thinking quickly he performed a small water jutsu and washed his eyes out while Ami kept their opponent busy.

By the time his eyes were clear he had come up with a plan. The problem was that they couldn't get close enough to him to attack. It was a problem he had found a solution to. A mischievous grin tugged at his lips as he flashed over to where Ami was defending herself. He motioned for her to listen to him and she immediately erected a bubble of sand around them harder than any stone. He whispered into her ear conspiratorially. As soon as he finished a dangerous smile graced the girls beautiful pink lips and the wall came down around them. Again Kanai slid into a ready stance, preparing to put his plan into action.

Abruptly he rushed at the man who led the attack on his home, his eyes hardening in determination. The man cracked his whip at him. He leapt into the air to dodge, leaving a small spiral of blue and red chakra in his wake. As he spun in the air he shouted to his waiting girlfriend.

"Ami! Now!"

That was her cue. Instantly a huge ball of sand began to hurtle towards their opponent. Still smirking confidently he quickly retracted his whip and lashed it again at the incoming projectile. A moment before the tip contacted the sand the true heart of the plan came into play as the ball broke apart into millions of tiny granules. Each particle made its way easily past the whip and into the face of the demon Orochimaru's curse seal had created. He blanched as sand filled his vision, grinding its way into the corneas of his sensitive eyes.

As all of this was going on Kanai was still air born, twisting his way through the sky. He smiled lopsidedly as he put his fingers into a familiar cross-shaped seal.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu." He murmured to himself and suddenly his opponent was surrounded by a set of ten clones, each crouched into Kanai's unique fighting stance.

"Uzumaki ryu jyuuken: Hana no fuyu! (Uzumaki style gentle fist: Winter flower)"

With that every clone flew into action, rapidly dashing at the blinded man. Sensing trouble he struck out with his whip, successfully eliminating one of the clones. It was not enough, not by a long shot. In an instant all the replications were upon him. With a blur of hand motions that he would have been hard pressed to see even if he weren't temporarily blind they began to pummel his body. He had never felt anything remotely like it. The knuckles that struck his body several times a second hurt, a lot, but he had been hit harder before. No, there was something else, something acting below the surface, literally. With each strike he felt his internal organs being battered, over a hundred hits contacting his lungs alone. With a final effort he heaved his fist out blindly. Through sheer luck his knuckle spike managed to take out one of the clones, it wasn't good luck though. His strike had created an opening. An opening a certain white-haired girl had been waiting for impatiently.

He could do little but gurgle as a giant spear of sand pierced his gut. He fell to the ground dead, still not having figured out exactly what was going on. The Hidden Village of Sound collapsed for good that night, having lost too many of their shinobi to even consider reforming again. The loss of their leader was just the last straw in a long fall from power.

Kanai looked solemnly at his fallen enemy, before turning to face the woman he loved. The huge smug smile she bore immediately shook him from his melancholy and reminded him of a very important fact.

"Hey, that was my kill! You stole it!"

Her smile remained as she sauntered over to where he was standing about ten feet from where the final Otokage had fallen. Her eyes closed halfway as she slid her arms around his neck and brought her face a mere inch from his.

"All's fair in love and war." She whispered as she pressed her lips to his.

"Dammit." He cursed as she pulled away, but his smile betrayed his true feelings.

"See? I told you they'd be fine." The blond man said as he strolled towards the couple, his arm draped loosely around his wife's shoulders. "Though I question their choice of make out spots."

He chuckled as he saw the look of horror the two kids had at being caught. His amusement was interrupted by a soft tug at his sleeve. He looked down to see Hinata looking up at him, a slightly worried expression in her pale eyes.

"Where's Natsuki?"

Naruto shrugged before calling out to Kanai and Ami.

"Hey, have you two seen Natsuki around!"

The pair looked at each other and shook their heads.

Just then a head of light blue hair appeared next to Naruto and Hinata, its owner rubbing at her eyes sleepily.

"What's going on out here?" She yawned

It's unlikely that any of the gathered shinobis' eyes could have opened any wider. Hinata looked to her daughter, shocked.

"You slept through the explosion and all of the fighting?"

Natsuki raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned again.

"I guess so."

She eyed the body on the ground in front of her, quickly noticing the curse seal on his neck. She slowly made her way over to the body and nudged it with her foot.

"You two do this yourself?"

Ami was quick to answer, realizing how important his sister's approval was to Kanai.

"Yeah. He was tough. But Kanai came up with a great plan and we took him down."

"I see." She muttered as she turned around to face the young couple, a big grin on her face.

She walked over and plopped her hand down on top of her younger brother's head, mussing up his hair a little.

"You did good brat."

Kanai just cursed under his breath. He hated when she called him that. Furthermore, how could she have slept through that entire attack? Then realization hit him. His sister was nuts, but he wouldn't want her any other way.

A/N: Aaaaaand done. I hope this was a good enough conclusion to the arc for you fine people. I know it took a little while. If it helps at all I've already started on the next chapter. I may very well get it up tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.

RLnaruhina: Nope, they certainly don't. Never mess with the Hokage. Fools. I wonder if you'll be first this time since I'm not going to warn you. MUAHAHAAH. I'm so evil.

Makokam: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Don't forget to read chapter 54 if you haven't already. I wouldn't want you to miss out. Sasuke's brains got all mushified. I think that's what you were asking at least.

MichelLover67: If you don't remember the tree go reread the first chapter. That should answer your question. Well yeah, Orochimaru is dead. Sasuke killed him long ago. The beginning of my story really faded out of your memory didn't it?

Dragon Man 180: I doubt the snake will be showing up again in this story. And now you have your answer as to why you haven't heard from Natsuki. I considered having her come in and save the day. I decided in the end to give Kanai some credit. He didn't need the embarrassment of being saved by his sister, especially while he was with his girlfriend.

Raziel Tepes: And there you have it. The kids' story. Not as bloody as Naruto's but with a fair amount of destruction.

OintmentJar: Yeah, sorry about that. And sorry for the abnormally long wait before I updated. I still use "girl" when talking about Hinata because in my mind every woman wants to feel young, and "girl" is a young term. It's not so much about properness as it is about feeling. :shrug: I'm just odd like that.

Blinkin: Yep, how to get an emotional reaction out of Naruto without killing anyone. Poor tree, we shall miss thee. I kind of like your nicknames for Kanai and Ami. Especially Ami's. I might use that sometime.

Shadowlink777: Yeah, I cant repeat the dance fighting all the time or it will lose its magic. They had their fun and it was time to get down to business.

RawD: Haha. Well nothing is still appreciated around here.

Kai Otogi: Well of course. The other kages don't have demons sealed inside of them. Though Gaara probably could have done it with similar quickness.

Warprince2000: Probably, but I'm trying to balance fast updates with spending enough time on school and stuff. As such my chapters are going to be slightly shorter than they have been. It's something we'll both have to deal with. Trust me, I don't like it anymore than you do.

Kitsune-san: I sure hope you made it all the way to this chapter. I'm so glad you liked my story (at least the first chapter), and I can't say how much it means to me that you think it's the best you've read. Thank you so much. Physical responses are the best kind. They don't lie.

Danny-171984: Those kids. They're strong. Don't underestimate the children of kages. They'll take you down right quick.

Madnarutofan: The tree meant a lot to them. The place where it all started has fallen. Makes me sad. I think they may just put up a monument. I like that idea. Thanks.

Gaxzo: Yeah, sorry about that. That's just the way my fight sequences go. Those kids can handle themselves just fine. No need to worry about them.

Princes Miyazawa: I hope you made it all the way to this chapter. I wouldn't want you to miss out on my telling you how much your tears mean to me. I'm so glad I was able to evoke such an emotional response from you. Thank you so much for telling me. I hope the rest of the story kept you just as happy.

Anime/Manga lubber: I've got no clue how summons die. Do they ever die? They never say. I'm fine with not knowing for now.

John Bellamy: Yep, cliffhangers suck, but I'm lazy so they're necessary. I'll gladly accept your 9.8 though. I've got no problems with that rating. Thanks.

Lunarangel: Yep, I've seen Naruto on tv (I assume you mean the English version) and I thought it was ok. I hate Naruto's voice and how they randomly mispronounce easy Japanese words (genin does not equal jen een losers!) I also didn't like the absence of blood flying from Ebisu's nose when he saw harem no jutsu. Without it him going air born just doesn't make sense. Other than that I thought they did a good job. I guess there's only so much we can expect from Americanized anime. Sigh.

Hopeless-flame: Huargh? Some of this didn't make sense to me, but I'll live. I think I got the gist of it. I would like to be all crazy shinobi strong too. Stuff would be exploding all over the place around me.

Jays Arravan: There you go. Some bloodlines and demon chakra (though not much on the chakra front.) I hope it was good enough for you.

Mythril dust: Seriousness is required sometimes. Never mess with what a man holds precious. That's a one way trip to a beat down.

Shukido-chan: Good to have you back, even if you're not supposed to be. I recommend clubbing your sempai with something, but that might not be all that great of an idea. Everyone loved the dance fighting scene including me. It was good fun. I don't know if we'll be seeing Tsunade's slug in my story. It's a possibility. Ami is indeed taking on some of her mother's traits, specifically the cute ones. But she'll never be as shy as her mom. Not by a long shot. I did not get a full review from you for 46. It was strangely cut off. I don't know what that was about.

ShinobiFighter101: No worries. Review when you can. We all have lives to attend to. I can't demand you review all the time. I just hope you will when you have the time. The best things happen in bed…. : )( : I love that ending so much. It might be my favorite part about the story. I look forward to hearing from you again soon. Ja ne.


	56. Waking Worries

Waking Worries

There are many things that keep people awake at night. For some people it's nightmares, ghastly images that haunt their dreams and stalk mercilessly through their unconscious minds. For others it is worry that keeps them from slumber. Did they make the right decision? Will everything turn out alright? Is everyone safe? Such questions are enough to dim even the brightest spirit. There are also those that suffer from something as simple as insomnia. Too many thoughts streaming through their restless heads for them to even consider sleeping. Then there are those that stay awake but they do not because of anything negative. Instead it is because they simply cannot bring themselves to sleep, for if they are asleep they won't be experiencing the happiness they are when they are awake. Uzumaki Naruto was one of the lucky few in the latter category.

Peacefully he leaned back against the headboard of his bed, casting a loving eye over his sleeping wife. The moonlight radiated in through the window, spilling its silver light over the angel of the Uzumaki family. He sighed as contentedly as he marveled at the beauty of the woman who had chose to marry him. Her dark blue hair shone in the light as it spread out over the pillow. The same light made her face almost seem to glow, her ivory-hued skin seeming to radiate with a holy essence. A small smile, reserved only for moments of absolute serenity, slowly spread across the blond's tranquil face. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he reached out and caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. The only sign she gave that she noticed the attention was a soft smile and a gentle nuzzle against his hand. The warmth of her soft skin against his coursed throughout his body, creating a sense of comfort deep inside. Regretfully he broke contact with his love, wincing slightly as he watched her delicate lips curl into a small frown at the loss of his touch. He wished he could stroke her like that all night, but he new that eventually that would wake her up and she needed her rest. The kyuubi gave him enough energy to stay awake for days on end if need be. Hinata had no such power source to draw on, though at times she exhibited far more stamina that should have been possible from someone of her stature.

Eventually the peacefulness returned to her face and Naruto managed to cease worrying that she would wake. He smiled down at her. He had everything he ever wanted and it was all thanks to her. That night three years ago when she found him in the woods had changed his life in so many ways. He no longer ever hid in the shadows, a practice he had adopted to avoid being seen when he was down. Of course, he no longer ever felt sad enough to need to hide anyways. She had eliminated his need to be Hokage to gain peoples' acceptance. He had gone and done it anyways, but it was for a different reason now. His new reason was so that he could protect everyone not just those in his village, everyone. All this was because he had the acceptance of the only person that truly mattered. She always made him happy and he tried to do the same for her. He liked to think he was doing a good job of it. It didn't matter if he was good with words, which he wasn't, he would never be able to express just how thankful he was to her.

Briefly a thought sprang into his mind that disturbed him greatly. What if he wasn't good enough for her? What if she would be happier with someone else? That was one of the thoughts that scared him the most in the world. However, what scared him the most was the thought of losing her. This notion was constantly at war with his desire to live longer than she did. He didn't want to miss a second of her life. But he also knew that if he ever lost her his very being would shatter. He didn't think he would be able to muster up the strength to go on if she was gone. That was a problem for later though. For now she was his and he wasn't about to give her up any time soon. He hoped she would allow him at least this much selfishness. Of course there was always the possibility she was being just as selfish as he was. He smiled.

He heard a soft murmuring coming from the lithe figure beside him and felt her stirring. He turned his eyes to look down at her and make sure she was all right. She was squirming slightly; her out stretched arms seeking purchase on the figure she knew should be right beside her. Gently he laid himself flat on the bed and slid closer to her. Almost immediately her arms found him and wrapped around him tightly. With quickness that no sleeping person should possess she pulled herself closer to her husband and snuggled her face into his side. She mumbled drowsily in her sleep.

"Mmm, Naruto-kun."

And with that all of his fears were driven away. He could not bring himself to doubt the love of his beautiful young wife any further. Besides, she would be incredibly angry with him if she ever found out he was having thoughts like this. She had told him so many times that he was the only one for her. That only he could make her truly happy. For some reason this was the only area that Naruto had trouble pushing his insecurities over aside. Interesting that a man who was convinced he was destined to become the Hokage from the age of twelve couldn't believe that the woman he loved most in the world would really choose him over everyone else. Last time he had asked her she had smacked him and told him never to ask her that again. He smiled at the memory. It really brought him back to his senses.

Affectionately he reached over his body and slowly ran his fingers through her silky hair. He couldn't help but marvel at its softness. Then again, everything about her was soft, from her skin to the sound of her voice. On second thought, not everything about her was soft. He winced as he remembered how hard she had hit him when he asked why she loved him. His cheek had been red for hours after that one. Of course, she had soothed it with a particularly loving kiss, but that only has so many healing properties. The memory reminded him of how soft her lips were. How on earth could he forget that? Her lips were in the running for his favorite part of her body. There were a large number of candidates on that ballot though.

At this point he decided to remind himself of just how beautiful she was. Starting at her feet he gradually scanned up her calves to her graceful thighs, to her flowing hips and narrow waist, up to her (EDIT: Skipping to keep rating the same, use your imaginations people.). His vision slowly dragged across her slender neck and to her fine porcelain face. He wondered about that. How did she manage to never tan despite being outside more often than not? He shrugged, chalking it up as yet another of the mysteries of the universe.

He found his attention being drawn to the moon through the window. It shone brilliantly, lighting up all of Konoha with its silver rays. He was so wrapped up in it that he failed to notice the pair of pale lavender eyes slowly opening beside him.

"Naruto-kun?" She asked in a near whisper.

Slowly he turned to face her, his cerulean eyes meeting hers.

"Hmm?"

Her expression turned to one of mild worry as she looked at him.

"Why are you still awake?"

He shrugged.

"I'm just thinking."

Obviously she wasn't going to let it go at just that.

"About what?"

His lips turned up slightly into a small grin.

"About you."

She liked his answer, but she still wanted more. She nudged him in the ribs, urging him to continue.

"I dunno. I just started thinking about how much I love you, and how much you've done for me, and." He winked at her. "How amazingly beautiful you are."

A soft smile spread across her face as she clutched her husband tighter to her body. She sighed contentedly.

"I love you Naruto-kun."

He bent at the neck to place a kiss on top of her head.

"I love you too Starshine."

And with a final thought they both returned to a land of blissful slumber. It simply can't get any better than this.

A/N: I like this chapter. It's short though. And it took way too long to write. Sorry.

Elisa7692: Homework is the suck. I didn't do it all that much. Then again I didn't need to. Good ol' Highschool. Well I'm glad you like it despite your sleepiness. Hopefully you can give it another read when you're less dead.

MicheLover: Nope, the sound is dead. You can't lose your leader 3 times and get your forces completely smoked twice and still keep going. You simply don't rebuild from that. People mean more than memories yes, but some memories are worth your own life. Bottom line.

Dragon Man 180: Yeah, gotta love siblings. Not that I have any.

RLnaruhina: Yeah! Why aren't I already on your alerts? Punk.

Blinkin: Yeah that would hurt just a teensy bit. All ends should have some drama to them.

Raziel Tepes: Harder to kill her than that. You know how 6th senses work right? She would wake up if she was in danger.

RawD: I meant to not have her around for the fights. I originally considered having her out on a mission too, but decided this way was just better and more amusing.

Ttestagr: Ah, thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

Warprince2000: Sooo tired, needed sleep. Sorry, I need to be slow sometimes.

Danny-171984: Thanks for everything. I'm so happy to have gotten this many reviews. It simply amazes me.

Hopeless-flame: I have absolutely no idea what they do for crazy ninjas. Kill them probably . Much sadness. Oh well, glad you liked the fight. It created fun images for me to work with.

Mythril dust: You are very much correct. Only an Uzumaki could sleep through an explosion.

Jays Arravan: Its no fun to just copy other people. She needed to branch off on her own.

Facading: It's cool that you actually reviewed chapters as you went along and read. I really appreciate that. It's nice to know what chapters people really like. Someday maybe I'll link all of these chapters together more smoothly. We shall see. I'm not sure I'll be able to wipe the smile off my face from you calling me the "best". I humbly accept your compliment. I just hope that I can live up to it. 24 was meant to be a bit scary. I hope that you liked it still though. 35 is a personal favorite of mine. It's very different than my normal, but it just conveys a lot of emotion. Again, thank you. You're way too kind. Just thanks.

Eric: Well I hope you made it this far. Coming up with chapter titles is fun. It takes a certain subtlety. You need to hint at the meaning without giving the chapter away. Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate it.

Madnarutofan: That she is. That she is.

Inu-youkess: That's so cool. You could just add me to your alerts list though. That would take care of the problem for you. I have no idea why you're hurting people though…. Scary stuff.

John Bellamy: Haha. Well I slept through a fire alarm for 10 minutes so yeah I think she could. 9.9 baby! RAWK!

Aloi-chan: Don't worry about reviewing. It's just a bonus to hear from you. I'm glad that I can brighten your day. I love my OCs theyre so much fun.

ShinobiFighter101::joins in on the fist pumping: I would sleep through the explosion too probably. Mmmm sleep.


	57. Apprehension

A/N: A new record of 22 reviews for one chapter. Granted I allowed for a lot longer than I normally do to reach that point. Oh well, a record is a record. I hope that we can surpass it this time though.

Apprehension

Something was very odd about today. He could feel it in his bones. The very core of his being was shaking with something akin to nervousness. Of course he had know idea what there was to be nervous about. He was safe in his home with his wife, Akatsuki had been defeated, and he had the day off, so there wasn't even any need to do paperwork. Even so he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen today, something big. He tried to slow his breathing as he took a calming sip from the mug of tea he had cradled in his hands. The soothing heat poured over his tongue and down his throat, warming him to the core. No good. He grimaced in irritation. This was his day off damnit, and he wanted to enjoy it. He tried to convince himself that it was all in his head. His head was quick to disagree, blaming it instead on his gut. That was a problem. Naruto always trusted his gut. It had never let him down before. He cast a wary glance at his beautiful wife as she strode into the room and poured herself a mug of tea.

Hinata was also raging a mental battle with herself. She knew what was creating the feeling of trepidation. She knew it because it came from her. The only problem was how to tell Naruto about it. On one hand she didn't think he would be upset by it, but on the other she knew he was already under so much strain at work. Being Hokage was hard even in times of peace. Some might say that it is actually more difficult to maintain peace than it is to obtain it. Fortunately Naruto was not alone in his endeavor. Hinata was always by his side and he had a very strong ally in Gaara of the Sand. It was more than helpful to have a nigh unbreakable alliance with one of the strongest shinobi villages in the world. After all who in their right mind would attack one of their villages when immediate retaliation was guaranteed from the other? More and more Hinata wished she had an ally in what she was about to do. She had to be strong though. Naruto would understand. Actually, he would probably be pleased, delighted even. None of this made it any easier on her.

She casually made her way over to her husband, her mug delicately clasped between her hands, small wisps of steam spilling over the rim. Lovingly, and with a degree of tenderness that only she possessed, a fact Naruto never grew tired of, she wrapped her arms around her husbands neck, nuzzling her cheek against his. With a gentle ease that Hinata had grown quite accustomed to, not to mention fond of, over the years Naruto reached with his right hand and clasped it around the twin arms that met in front of him. His other hand reached back around and tucked its fingers in his wife's dark silky hair. Slowly he turned his head and pressed his lips to hers, their first kiss of the morning and almost certainly not their last.

"Morning Starshine."

He knew she was smiling even though he had his eyes closed. He could feel her lips against his face.

"Morning Naruto-kun."

Suddenly the mood dropped. Hinata swiftly set her mug down on the table as she eased herself into her husband's lap. Nervously she laced her arms back around his neck even as he locked his around her waist. She took a moment to fully meet his gaze and another to work up her courage.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hmn?"

"I have something I need to tell you."

His heartbeat quickened in his chest, threatening to become audible to the outside world. He knew this was coming. He didn't know how he knew, he just did. This was what his gut was trying to tell him about. He took a moment to silently curse his gut and its perfect instincts. Why couldn't it ever be wrong? Valiantly he struggled to calm his quivering nerves. If Hinata could do this so could he.

"What is it?"

Almost immediately he wished he hadn't asked. Did he really want to hear what she had to say? What if it was something bad? What if something had gone wrong? He shook his head to clear these questions from his mind. Now was not the time for them. Their time did not exist. Never was there a point when such worries would prove beneficial. They only led to self-doubt. Self-doubt led to weakness, weakness to death. No, he would not fall victim to such treacherous doubts.

Cerulean eyes watched intently as Hinata took a deep, calming breath. It was now or never.

"Naruto-kun…… I'm pregnant."

There was no time for her to react before she found herself high above her husband's head, being spun about in circles by the beaming blond. Her fears assuaged, she had little choice but to laugh at the exuberance of excited dad-to-be.

It was then she realized she never had any reason to worry. This was exactly how she knew he would react to the news. To Naruto children were not a burden, not a source of unwanted stress, they were a gift, a ray of sunshine that lit his world.

Still laughing, Naruto set his blushing bride back on her feet, a single tear slowly rolled down his whiskered cheek. Sweetly, Hinata used her fingertips to brush the stray droplet away as she looked up into his perfect blue eyes. His face bearing a grin so grand it almost seemed to take over the entire lower half of his face, Naruto returned his wife's adoring look.

"I love you Hina-chan."

She was quick to press herself into her husband's towering form as the final remnants of her fears were wiped away by his words. She breathed in, taking a moment to savor his deep musky aroma.

"I love you too Naruto-kun."

And so they stood there, each holding the other tightly in a warm embrace. Naruto tucked his head down until his nose was buried among the soft strands of his wife's glossy blue hair. Out of nowhere a soft chuckle escaped his lips, earning a questioning glance from the woman in his arms.

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head, blond hair swaying with the movement.

"I'm just thinking of how Sakura is going to freak when she finds out."

Hinata smiled softly, her pale eyes closing as she rested her head against her husband's strong chest.

"I definitely want to be there to see that."

A/N: And that's how Naruto found out about the upcoming birth of Natsuki. I know it's short. I know you hate me. Of course what I also know is that I have 2 tests and a quiz this week and I simply can't forgo studying for them no matter how intelligent I may or may not be. Rejoice though. I had originally intended not to write a chapter until Saturday. I decided to write this one solely to keep you all happy and to keep you from worrying that I was giving up on the story. I'm not burnt out in any way, I just don't have time. I'm sure you understand. Should be a chapter on Saturday still. Look forward to it.

Dragon Man 180: I had something like a sibling for a while. She certainly fit the annoying category on many occasions. But she was fun sometimes too. I'm fine without siblings though, I tend to be a rather independent person by nature. My strength is my own yada yada. Glad you liked the love. I did too. I love love. Heh.

Jays Arravan: Sweet. A crippling disease from fluffy loving. It doesn't get much better than that.

Danny-171984::shrug: I'm single too. I don't miss my ex in the slightest. Never did. Of course I never really had any feelings for her. I have people that I worry about though. Ones that I would not be able to live the same without them. Don't be sad though. It all worked out in the end.

MichelLover67: While I'm up to date on the shaman king manga released my manga-rain I don't know what youre talking about as far as memory in it. Yes the sound is dead. That doesn't mean that they won't make appearances still though. Part of the joy of timeline jumping. But they're definitely gone from that point onward. They get alone time. Naruto still needs to work and Hinata does missions so theyre not together all of the time. But when they are both around they use that time to the fullest. Live the dream. That's the goal. Fight for it.

Facading: There was definitely an undertone of serenity going throughout that chapter. It's nice to know that you felt it.

RawD: Very lucky. I envy my own story. Weird.

Warprince2000: I didn't think you would mind that explanation. As a college student I tend to have less time for things I would actually like to be doing, like say, making my readers happy.

Jester12: You have no idea how happy that makes me. To be able to extract such a sincere emotional response is the epitome of accomplishments in writing. Thank you so much for telling me about it.

Hopeless-flame: I know it now, and I'm very glad. I probably will do one in Hinata's pov sometime. I can just relate better to Naruto since I am male and all.

John Bellamy: How could you not like it? It had some humor mixed in with all of the undying, amazing love. Love rocks.

ShinobiFighter101: I daydream about that too. Though they actually have me replacing Naruto and a certain someone replacing Hinata. How do you think I come up with these ideas in the first place?

Mythril dust: I'm always in a poetic mood so I know what you mean. I certainly hope to someday actually experience what I write as opposed to living vicariously through the characters. Great! Tell me when you've got it posted and I'll check it out. It's nice to make people happy isn't it?

Aloi-chan: Thank you. I will always do my best. I do it for myself as much as the readers. It's a release of random romance that I have to do. Plus it's fun.

Elisa7692: I went to Walled Lake Central High School in Walled Lake, MI. It was just an ordinary public school, nothing special. Then again I did take all advanced classes and entered college with 19 credits already under my belt. I know la guardia. It's the place to go for performing arts. I don't know how much high school matters though. In the end it all comes down to you. Best of luck in whatever you decide on.

Anime/Manga lubber: How do you know if someone likes you? Man am I the wrong person to ask for relationship advice. I've been without a girlfriend for almost 7 years now so clearly I have no clue how to actually pull off a relationship. Biggest clue though is touching. Physical contact is a big indicator of amorous feelings. Then there are people like me who are too shy in person to touch people most of the time. :shrug: Not all of us are made out to be Casanova's I guess.

Lunarangel: I never know quite how to respond to your reviews. Theyre always a weird summation of the chapters as you read them. It's certainly interesting to see my story through someone else's eyes though. I only watched part of one episode so I have not heard Chouji's voice. I have no real desire to subject myself to it either. I do want to hear Hinata's voice though. Even though it will probably scar me. I can't sleep because I think too much. I generally have 3 trains of thought going at once. Creates quite a jumble that sleep just can't penetrate. Then again, why would I want to be asleep when happiness is when I'm awake?

Raziel Tepes: Sorry, my story really isn't made out for your dark tendencies I don't think. Hopefully you still enjoy the soft and sweet moments though since I can only integrate so much violence into what is essentially a love story. I will check out that story when I've got some spare time. Thanks for the recommendation. :wonders if raziel recommends his story to other authors:

RLnaruhina: All of my teeth are already fake, but I guess I could use some of that toothpaste too. I'm definitely happy. Why wouldn't I be?

Blinkin: I love the fluff as well. Of course I do. That's why I write it.

Blarghish: Glad you appreciate my dedication to happy. People have enough to worry about without getting their hearts torn out by their fan fiction. I'm also quite pleased you like what I've done with the characters. I tried very hard to keep them believable, and in the case of Gaara quite amusing. You're very welcome. Thanks for doing the same for me.

Anbudrj: Sasuke is dead. That's really all there is to it. Died in chapter 4. Isn't coming back. It's kind of odd that I killed off a character I actually like right at the beginning isn't it? Thanks, I will definitely keep writing.

Shockwave1: Quite the compliment. If you're looking for some other good Naruto fics I recommend taking a look at my favorites list. I'm quite selective when it comes to the stories I grant permission to be on that list. I hope you made it all the way to this chapter. It would be a shame to lose a fan.

Nonengel: Understandable, though I do miss your reviews. It is certainly easier to just wait a while then read my chapters a few at a time. Glad you liked the attack on Konoha arc. Yeah, Natsuki is not the type to be embarrassed by something as simple as sleeping through a life and death battle. Welcome to the Uzumaki family. I'm also happy you liked the newest chapter. I occasionally like to throw in a certain amount of somberness to my chapters. It gives the fluff meaning. Life can't be all sunshine all the time. Doesn't mean you can't see the sun through the clouds though.


	58. Masks

A/N: Again I'm forced to apologize for the long gap between chapters. I was worn out and lost my motivation for writing a new chapter. Even a hyperactive person like me gets tired sometimes. That's just the way it goes. My normal pace should return now, at least for the most part. Enjoy!

Masks

Worry had found a home on the face of one Hyuuga Hinata. This was no surprise, Hinata often bore a concerned expression. It was all part of being as caring a person as she was. She wanted everyone around her to be safe and happy. Even the person she was worried about was not a surprise to anyone, she probably worried about her blond boyfriend more than anyone else. Indeed, what was odd about the situation was what had triggered her worry. Naruto was supposed to train with her that day after lunch, and though she had waited over an hour past the time he was due to arrive he had never appeared. Naruto wouldn't miss training for anything, he loved it too much to even dream of it. In fact Hinata sometimes joked that he loved training more than her, the fervent denials he always gave were a huge boost for her ego. He always said the reason he loved it so much was because he got to do it with her. That wasn't the point right now though. If he didn't show up then there had to be something wrong.

She had already spent the past half hour checking all of the places in the villages that he frequented with no luck. Even the old man at the Ichiraku Ramen stand hadn't seen him that day. She only knew of one more place to check. It was the place he always went when he needed to think. It was the place where she first told him how she felt about him.

Moving so fast that she left a faint blur in her wake she rapidly approached the monstrous tree. The closer she got the more her emotions warred with each other. The location held bittersweet memories for her. On one hand it was the place where she had first found hope that she might be with Naruto some day. But on the other hand it was where she had seen Naruto cry for the first, and only, time. For that she hated that tree, but she supposed that the good outweighed the bad in this case.

Hinata was startled from her thoughts when she saw her destination come into view. Her vision was immediately drawn to the branch she and Naruto had been on that night. There he was, still dressed in much the same way as a year earlier. The main difference lay in the black pants that adorned his legs as they lay loosely in front of him.

As soon as she saw him she started to bound up into the trees to get to his side. He didn't even notice her approach he was so wrapped up in his thoughts. He just sat staring off into nothing, a gentle breeze rustling his hair. Slowly he closed and reopened his eyes, a deep sigh flowing through his barely parted lips. The muscles of his back twitched as an itch made itself known between his shoulder blades. He shifted uncomfortably, using the bark of the tree as a back scratcher.

Suddenly he was jerked out of his solemn trance by the soft tap of feet landing beside him. Without looking he knew who it was and a strained smile was forced across his lips. He turned his head to meet her eyes in greeting.

"Hey, Hinata. What are you doing out here?" He asked cheerily.

The fakeness of his happiness was enough to almost bring tears to her pale eyes. She resisted the urge to just break down and hug him and never let him go.

"I was looking for you. You were supposed to train with me today."

Guilt and sorrow briefly flashed behind cerulean eyes and were quickly masked again as Naruto reached up and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Eh, sorry Hinata. I was daydreaming and I lost track of time."

He barely stifled a grimace as he saw the look on her face when she heard his excuse. She wasn't buying it. With grace he was convinced only she possessed Hinata knelt in front of him, a pleading look in her soft lavender eyes.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

For the briefest of moments it looked like he would tell her, that he would admit to her that there was a problem. His smile even drooped a bit before immediately regaining its old vigor. He laughed off her question.

"What are you talking about Hina-chan? Nothing's wrong. I was just distracted."

He started at what he saw next. In her eyes was sadness of the same intensity that he was keeping hidden deep inside. A single tear made its way down her ivory cheek.

"Naruto-kun……. please….. tell me."

His blue eyes looked away, unable to meet the gaze of the crying girl.

"I can't." He said just barely above a whisper.

Unable to resist her compulsion any further, Hinata pushed herself forward into Naruto's strong chest, frantically clinging to the soft fabric of his orange and black shirt. Needily she pressed her face against him, seeking his closeness without really understanding why.

"Why not?"

He winced at her question. Desperately he tried to find a way to avoid answering, but he kept coming up empty handed. Why did she want to know? It didn't really matter. He settled for a defeated sigh. There was no way out now.

"Because, even if I do tell you, you can't help me. All it's going to do is make you unhappy. My problems are my own and I'll handle them on my own. You don't need to worry about me." He tried to put on a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

She clutched the wrinkling fabric even tighter in his hands, struggling to hold back the tears she knew wanted to be shed. Cautiously she turned her face up to look at him, causing him to direct his attention to her as well.

"Maybe you will, but I won't."

Her voice broke for a moment as she shuddered against him.

"I can't be fine while you're sad. Not when I know that if I knew what was wrong I might be able to help….. somehow."

Lovingly he wrapped his arms around her, lacing the fingers of one hand in the hair on the back of her head. Desperately he tried to console the small girl in his arms.

"You do help Hina-chan. I feel better whenever you're near me. There are just some things I don't want to talk about. You have to believe me that it's better for you this way."

Judging by the way she tensed against him and drew even more cloth into her grip, this was not what she had wanted to hear.

"I….I can't. I can't just leave it like that."

Blue eyes went wide with surprise. Why did it matter so much to her? Why did she need to know?

"Hina-chan…."

Tears began to spill freely from her eyes.

"Please….. Please tell me."

He looked away, knowing that he would no longer be able to keep a straight face if he had to watch her cry any longer. He could feel her gaze upon him as she lifted her face to look at him.

"It's about Sasuke isn't it?"

Heavy lids slid down over cheerless eyes, shutting out the light of the world he no longer wanted to see. Slowly he nodded, his voice catching in his throat as he struggled to speak. A slow stream of tears began to flow down his cheeks.

"I… I killed him. I didn't even hesitate. He was my friend, my brother, and I killed him."

His speech degenerated into body wracking sobs as Hinata held him in her soft embrace.

"Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun, look at me." She whispered gently as she touched his chin, urging him to face her.

Gradually he relented, meeting her eyes with his own. The look on her face was serious, honest, leaving no doubt as to the truthfulness of the wearer.

"Naruto-kun that wasn't Sasuke, just someone who used to be him. You did what you had to do to protect yourself, to protect the village, and to protect me."

His eyes remained half closed, unwilling to accept that he wasn't to blame.

"I know, but…"

"No buts." She interrupted. "None of it is your fault. Sasuke changed. He wasn't the same person you knew from team seven. There was nothing you could do for him."

He sighed, tears continuing to trace lines down his face.

"I know…. I just wish it hadn't had to end that way, that I could have done something. I should have been able to do something."

A slender finger to his lips silenced him. The owner of the finger's face urged him to silence.

"Stop. You did all you could. That's all anyone could ask of you."

Time seemed to slow down as Hinata held the crying boy tightly to her chest, doing her best to ease his pain. She couldn't honestly say that she knew what he was going through, there was no way she could. She had never had to even hurt anyone she cared about, let alone kill them. What she could do was try her best to comfort him. The blond sobbed once more into her shoulder.

"I just wish that I could turn back time. Maybe I could have done something different."

"Maybe." She agreed. "But you can't so there's no point in even thinking that."

Slowly Naruto's shaking subsided and he managed to calm himself down.

"I guess. Doesn't mean I have to like it though."

Hinata almost laughed at his response, instead settling for a small smile that turned up the edges of her lips.

"No. No it doesn't."

A slight grin started to spread across the blond's face as he rested his face in the crook of Hinata's neck. Slowly he began to unwind his arms from around her, casually moving them towards her sides. And then he struck, tickling her fiercely and forcing her to release him in order to defend herself. She tumbled backwards on the branch in her attempt to escape, and she would have fallen off if it were not for the strong grip her blue-eyed boyfriend had on her. He quickly ceased his assault and laid himself down next to her, draping his arm over her stomach. Lovingly he placed a kiss on her lips when she turned to face him.

"Hina-chan?"

"Hmm?"

He pulled her closer to him, determined to have as much contact with her as possible.

"Thanks."

Confusion settled into her voice as she responded.

"For what?"

His arm held her tighter still.

"For everything."

And so they lay there for a while, Hinata with her head resting on Naruto's chest, and Naruto softly running his fingers up and down her back. Gradually the blond grew restless, something clearly on his mind.

"Hina-chan?"

She looked up into his eyes.

"Do you think I'll be able to see Sasuke again when I die?"

She grinned softly up at him.

"Yeah."

A sly smirk danced across the young man's face.

"Good. I need to rub in how bad I kicked his ass."

A/N: Something of an odd chapter for me. Somewhat pensive in its tone. I liked it, but that's not what matters. Hopefully you all feel about it the same way I do.

Dragon Man 180: You are most likely correct about their reactions. It's only natural after all.

Danny-171984: Well there are people who don't want kids. Naruto just isn't one of them.

Thestoneox: It wasn't meant to be hidden this time. I just liked the concept of knowing something was going on but not knowing quite what. I figured that people would know what was happening as soon as they started to read Hinata's thoughts. Thanks. I appreciate any boosts to my ego I can get. I'm greedy like that.

Raziel Tepes: Good. You were supposed to get it from that. I understand. I only recommend the best of the best. A category I'm not sure I belong in. Though if I keep getting reviews like I have been I might alter my perspective. The mistake is noted. Someday I'll have to go back and correct all those stupid little things. Not now though.

RLnaruhina: Smooth. Real smooth. I wish I could say that the head gut thing was my idea. But I think I handled it in an original way. Conflarnit!

RawD: Quick, concise, to the point. I have no idea.

Mythril dust: Yeah, you were supposed to know what was happening pretty quick in that one. It was subtle but not as sneaky as some of my others. I know I would like to experience that as well. Oh well, someday. Yep, write a Naruto fic and I'll review it for you. Good luck.

ShinobiFighter101: It's a non-stop fuzz fest in raging hobo's head. Or something like that. Thanks for the wishes. I did pretty well on all of them. Though not great. Oh well. I live on.

Blinkin: Danke. I liked it too. I especially liked my writing style in it. It was a departure from the ordinary and I think it worked well.

Elisa 7692: Glad you liked it. Not sure how they do things in New York. The 19 credits I got is from taking AP classes and the tests that go with them. They are essentially college equivalent classes. I don't know your situation so I cant really comment on it. Good luck on achieving your goals. I wish you the best. Really. Do it to it.

Makokam: We see more of Ami than Natsuki because I'm weird and jump around a lot. I think of something and write it. This means that someone is bound to not get as much time as others. I've got some ideas for Natsuki though and I'll try to write them soon. I personally want to do some young Natsuki chapters too. I know I make those errors. However, when I complete a chapter I'm generally quite tired and it's late at night so I don't reread them. :Shrug: Just something you're going to have to deal with I suppose. I'll go back and correct them later.

Inu-youkess: You better believe I've got good taste. Only the best make it on my list. That means they have to be competent with use of the English language not just have good ideas. It's a rare combo.

Hopeless-flame: Yeah I hate me for writing stuff people enjoy too. Oh wait, no I don't. Glad you're liking it still. It's important to me that you do.

MichelLover67: That's something of an error in thought processes you've got there. Everyone is crazy, not just parents. So it stands to reason that only crazy people have kids. I remember that part. However, I think you're remembering it wrong. It was very hard for Amidamaru to give up that sword. I'm not saying life is less important than objects, I'm just saying that objects can be very important.

Jays Arravan: You were supposed to know what was going on by the second paragraph. The true surprise was supposed to be Naruto's alone. The readers were just supposed to get to watch the revelation with the knowledge of what was going on.

Pwykersotz: Great! Glad you liked it. And yeah, you've got to read DameWren's stuff, she's just too good to miss. I'll miss her while she's gone. That's what happens when you get almost 20 reviews a chapter and you insist on replying to each one, sometimes with really wordy responses. I am strong like bull!

DemonReading: Yep, NaruHina are the best. Naruto isn't really sure what he's doing, but he's going by instinct and that works for him. I would be lying if I said his internal thought processes weren't patterned after my own in some ways though. Yes, Gaara is awesome. The Sasuke dying thing is a source of constant annoyance for me because I would like to use him still. I don't like SakuLee and you won't see them much because of that. Hey, I'm a guy that not only reads fluff I write it. Don't piss of a mother, especially if she happens to be a bad ass shinobi. That would be awesome if you printed this out. Of course I imagine you would cut off the reviews. Not like you need those. What can I say? I'm a jack of all trades. Hooked on hobo. Awesome. I need to get Moeko in more so Gaara will be showing up as well. I just haven't gotten around to it. Kun and chan are name suffixes reserved for younger people in general. Kun is used pretty much exclusively for boys. Chan is used for girls but also has some relationship closesness meaning embedded in it. Sama is a term of great respect. Head of something or other generally. You wont have found those on kanjisite because they don't really have a translation and kanjisite is by no means complete. I usually use it to break apart names into their constituents. Ja ne means "later" approximately. Kawaii means "cute". Im 21 and I hope I can have a relationship resembling the one I've created here too. Best of luck to you in your endeavor.

Blue: I made it long because people liked it. That's the way it goes. If people had told me I suck I would have stopped a long time ago. I hope you made it this far and kept enjoying it.

Wilwong23: I question your sanity. Short you say? EHHHH? Well I guess you won't be reading this anyways. :shrug: Cant win 'em all.

Anime/Manga lubber: I must be putting latent psychic messages in my writing, everyone knew what was going on right from the start. Of course that was the point. Glad it worked. I didn't pass the record Unfortunately. I fell 2 short of the old record with only 20 reviews. I cry. Not really. There's always this time.

Lunarangel: It didn't get broken. I only got 20 this time. Sad. Not really. Everyone rejoice for the coming of Natsuki! Yay! Thanks for the best wishes. A Kiba fan eh? Interesting. I'll make sure not to screw up any Kiba chapters I do. I don't need you hunting me down and stabbing me. I think jumbled. Glad you like it though.

Nonengel: Thanks, I liked it too. They went fine. Not great, but fine. I'll have more time to study for the next ones hopefully.


	59. Wind and Fire, Ice and Jade

Wind and Fire, Ice and Jade

"Come on Natsuki, you better get to bed, we're leaving early tomorrow."

The light blue-haired girl was quick to throw a pout on her five-year-old face. It seems she didn't think it was quite her bedtime yet. Her mother was completely unfazed by her reluctance though. Hinata was very good at getting her daughter to do what she wanted.

"You don't want to be tired when we get to the Sand do you? You wouldn't be able to play with your uncle Gaara, aunt Moeko, and cousin Ami."

The look of shock that filled Natsuki's pale blue eyes was simply too cute for Hinata to take. She just barely restrained herself from sweeping her daughter up in her arms and smothering her with kisses as she ran off to brush her teeth. The violet-haired woman settled for an adoring smile as she watched her daughter skip cheerfully down the hallway.

Gradually she felt a friendly aura walking up behind her. Her smile broadened and she sighed contentedly as strong fingers squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"She reminds me of you." The couple said simultaneously.

They both just smiled as they turned to look at the other. They had been over this before. In the end they just decided that Natsuki had picked up the best traits from both of her parents and left it at that. Though each insisted that she resembled the other more closely. Neither really cared. As far as they were concerned she was the best little girl ever.

Pale byakugan eyes slid closed as Hinata felt the familiar presence of her husband's arms sliding around her shoulders. Naruto bent down and whispered in her ear.

"Perhaps we should go to bed too."

She giggled as she turned and kissed the lines on his cheek.

"You'll never change will you?"

He smiled down at her mischievously.

"I sure hope not."

The following morning the three members of the Uzumaki family got up with the sun, or rather Natsuki did and she insisted her parents follow suit.

"Come on! Wake up!" She cried as she noisily bounced on her parents' bed.

They tried to ignore her, honestly they did, still harboring the foolish hope that she would leave and allow them to sleep just a while longer. It soon became evident that she was not going to give up. She _was_ going to get her parents up now, and nothing was going to stop her.

Naruto was the first to crack under the pressure. Like lightning his hands darted out and seized his young daughter's ankles and quickly pulled her legs out from underneath her. With a startled squeak she fell backwards onto the soft mattress in the space between her parents' legs. In another series of rapid movements Naruto was bent at the waist and hovering over the smallest Uzumaki.

"Morning Natsuki." He said with a small grin.

Clearly she did not realize the danger she was in.

"Morning Ot…."

Her voice was cut off by peels of laughter spilling through her own lips. Her father's hands at her sides were stealing her breath away. Naruto laughed to himself, she was at least as ticklish as her mother, and in all the same spots. After another few moments he ceased tickling the small girl who was writhing in his grasp and allowed her to catch her breath.

"Now that we've got that all taken care of, how about you go get dressed? We'll be out in a few minutes."

A huge grin spread across her face and Natsuki immediately jumped off the bed and started to run out of the room. The blond man just watched, shaking his head in quiet bemusement. He had always wondered what it would be like to be around a child that had as much energy as he did at that age. Now he knew. It was hard work, that was for sure, but he wouldn't give it up for the world.

He turned away from the door as Natsuki slammed it shut behind her, meeting the eyes of the beautiful woman who was smiling lazily up at him from her pillow. She lifted a graceful hand from where it lay beside her head and placed it lightly over the top of her husband's.

"Thank you." She murmured softly to him.

Of course this only succeeded in confusing the blond man, something that was obvious in his cerulean eyes.

"For what?"

Gently she ran her thumb back and forth on the back of his hand.

"For giving me her."

He looked at her like she was crazy.

"What are you talking about? You did all the work. I'm the one who should be thanking you."

A characteristic smirk slid across his lips.

"Speaking of which."

He slowly bent down and passionately brought his lips to hers. A minute passed like a second and they separated, each breathing heavily and quite satisfied. A calloused hand brushed some stray hairs away from an angelic face.

"Thank you."

The pair emerged from their bedroom a few minutes later. Naruto was fastening the last few buttons on his shirt while Hinata was sliding the ornate redwood picks through her hair to hold her loose bun in place. They made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Natsuki already sitting impatiently at the table, an expression of pure excitement lighting her face. Naruto turned to his wife with a knowing grin.

"I think we better get some breakfast and head out. I doubt she's going to be able to sit still much longer."

Hinata just nodded her agreement and set about making breakfast.

Breakfast was eaten in record time and the trio was soon out the door, each clutching a small pack of clothes and personals they would be taking with them on the trip.

"Alright Natsuki, hop on." Naruto said as he kneeled in front of his daughter.

With energy that only young children are capable of so early in the morning she leapt up onto her father's back, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. Fortunately for Naruto, her grip wasn't strong enough to obstruct his breathing, at least not while she was being supported by his arms behind his back.

And then they were off. Dashing through the village and out into the woods. They were through the woods in a few hours and they paused for a moment at the edge to take a break and prepare for the next leg of their journey. They ate a quick lunch before Naruto performed a small water jutsu and doused some cloths that they then wrapped around their head and necks to keep them cool. The desert is not a good place to be unprepared for heat.

Natsuki reclaimed her place on her father's back and they were off again, tearing through the desert, leaving massive clouds of dust in their wake. They saw the gates of the Hidden Village of Sand just before the sun was about to touch the horizon. Ordinarily Naruto could have reached the Sand while the sun was still high in the sky, and even Hinata would have gotten there much quicker than they did but they did not want to make the rid too unpleasant for their little girl whom had apparently fallen asleep on her perch. Naruto rolled his eyes. Kids. They can sleep anywhere.

The young girl was wide-awake by the time they reached Gaara's home though. In fact, she was so energetic she nearly bounced herself out of her father's hold a couple of times. Casually they strode up to the door and knocked. A chaotic thumping could be heard coming from within the house, and a few moments later the door swung open revealing a wildly grinning Kazekage, with a very quiet Moeko walking up behind him, carrying a sleeping Ami in her arms. Gaara beamed at the trio of his friends gathered outside his home. Suddenly he slapped Naruto on the shoulder in a affable manner.

"Welcome back my friend."

A/N: Part 1 of a new arc with Gaara in it. I've gotten some requests that I intend to meet because I'm just that type of guy. That means more Moeko, more Gaara, and more Natsuki specifically when she was young. I hope you're all happy. I know I am.

RLnaruhina: It had to happen sometime right? That's good. You can't let those midget hobos get all uppity. Got to put them in their place.

Dragon Man 180: I can see it too. It would probably be quite funny. Of course Lee and Gaara would want to join in too. Hinata knows what's best for the big dumb blond. If he holds it all inside who knows what will go wrong?

Blinkin: You should see my real story I'm working on. If the beginning of that story isn't in black and white I don't know what is. I wonder what 24 points will get me on the black market.

Danny-171984: You can't keep a good Naruto down. The scary thing is that I actually think a lot like he does. :shudder: . Oh and only 41 to go now. 

MichelLover: As should any normal person. You missed my point about the kids. It was a joke to say that everyone is crazy therefore only crazy people have kids. If they didn't have kids there wouldn't be any. Because non-crazy people don't exist. By the way, you're talking to someone who doesn't really want kids. However, I understand why people do. Well, Sasuke wasn't much of anything to anyone at that point. He hated his brother, had no friends or other family, and at least in my story, no one loved him. Naruto was his only friend. Don't worry, I've got a whole army of wombats set up to combat your squirrels. FEAR THE WOMBAT!

Jays Arravan: Well just to make sure you realized this, Naruto killed Sasuke way back in chapter 4. Just making sure you didn't forget. Glad you liked the comedic relief. I did too.

RawD: As long as the "but" wasn't about my spelling mistakes you should tell me what it is. I need to know these kinds of things.

John Bellamy: I assume you're asking who she's pregnant with. Natsuki of course! It says so in the A/N right at the end of the chapter. Don't you read them? 

Jester12: chapter 4. That's when I killed Sasuke. I probably will do that chapter eventually. Well, actually I kind of did already. I did a chapter on her having Kanai. I'm not sure I could change it up enough to do one about Natsuki. We'll see.

DemonReader: Yeah, even Naruto gets introspective sometimes. Well he did say that Sasuke was like a brother to him, I don't like to mention scenes from the anime though for the most part. I try to keep everything original. Straight from the hobo's deformed brain. I'm glad to have you along for the ride. This Gaara's for you my friend. You asked for it. You got it.

Inu-youkess: Much thanks. Sure it wasn't fluff in the classic sense, but it does leave you feeling warm inside ne? I'll do my best to keep it up. Thanks for reading.

Warprince2000: You want it. You got it.

Mythril dust: I'm weird in that I actually like all of the characters (except the konohamaru corps. They irritate me like no other) I see what you're getting at though. I think that Sakura is the bigger obstacle to the NaruHina loving though. Yay for weird humor!

Elisa7692: You seem confused. Hinata knew he killed Sasuke. Hell, she was there when he did it. Take a look back at chapter 4 and see. It was a long time ago I know. Boo to math!

Aloi-chan::shrug: it doesn't matter if you sign in to me. Yes, yes she will. She's so great. Gotta love her.

ShinobiFighter101: Well that's my job. To make sure that other authors feel bad about their work. Wait, no that's not it. Maybe I'm just inspiring you to create better endings for your stuff. Yeah, let's go with that. I'm certainly glad you like mine though. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Wired: You have no idea. The inner workings of my head are a complete mystery. Even to me. I hope you made it all the way here. Ja ne.

Hopeless-flame: Aye, that I do. It's random too. I have a personality that sees the humor in just about everything. I laugh a lot. Maybe I'm just crazy though.

Raziel Tepes: I have 277 and 278 translated. Of course theyre not going to actually kill of Gaara. There would be riots. Gaara rocks. And yes I know you don't really care about the passing of people in general. You're just nuts like that.

Madnarutofan: Eat this red eye! Muahahaha. That will be funny

Dark Stacey Gardner: I hope you made it all the way here. Glad you like it. I hope my life turns out like that too. The whole super-powered ninja thing would be cool as well. Yay!


	60. Inheritance

A/N: **Read to avoid confusion.** Decided to set up a timeline of sorts for the kids' birthdays. Hopefully this will help you all out (and help me too). Natsuki was born January 7th, Ami July 3rd, and Kanai was born July 28th. As you can see this makes it so that while there is a time when Ami is three years older than Kanai technically, she is really just over 2 years older than him. Also that makes Ami under the age of 2 in this chapter.

Inheritance

"It's good to be back." The tall blond man said as he clasped Gaara's hand with his own.

The pair shook hands for a brief moment before the jade-eyed man's attention was drawn to the two women outside the door. Or rather it was drawn to one woman and a very energetic young girl.

Natsuki literally bounced off her father's back landing on the ground behind him. As soon as her feet touched she darted between Naruto's legs and jumped as high as she could to hug her favorite uncle. Despite the fact that Gaara was nowhere near as tall as Naruto her best efforts only led to her being able to wrap her arms around his waist. He was more than happy to assist her though as he hefted her up into his arms and embraced her warmly. Gaara shifted her in his grasp so that she was sitting on one arm as he made his way over to greet his friend's beautiful young wife, not to mention one of his best friends.

"It's good to see you again." He offered pleasantly as he hooked his free arm around her and pulled her in close.

Hinata responded in kind with both arms, giving her daughter a squeeze in the process.

"It's good to see you too Gaara. How have you been?" She asked as they parted.

His excitement was almost palpable as it poured off from him in waves. Green eyes shone brightly as a toothy grin was exposed for all to see.

"Great!"

He turned and beckoned for them to follow as he strode into the house.

"Come on, I'll tell you all about it inside."

The couple exchanged pleased glances before following their friend, who was still carrying a very delighted Natsuki, into his home.

The next hour or so was spent in the Kazekage's living room with Natsuki enthusiastically showing off everything she had learned. A perfectly executed back flip elicited a rousing cheer from her uncle, a small impressed smile from her aunt, and a tiny pair of clapping hands from the little girl in her mother's lap.

As things were beginning to wind down her father came over to her and knelt beside her. He whispered to her loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"Hey, show them your new trick."

Her pale blue eyes went wide at the prospect of getting to finally show off her newest ability. Naruto had told her not to use it unless he said it was ok since he wasn't sure she could control it yet. She looked at him expectantly to make sure he was being serious. He gave her a quick nod to go ahead and reclaimed his place on the couch with his arm around Hinata's shoulders.

"You're going to like this one Gaara." He turned back to his his daughter. "Ok Natsuki, show them what you've got."

"Hnn!" She said with an eager nod of her head.

Slowly she slid into her fighting stance. Her legs were wide with her knees slightly bent. She had one hand out behind her while the other was held in front of her; the fingers of both hands were loose and slightly curled. She took a deep breath, clearly focusing on what she was doing. With a flourish she thrust her rear hand forward, an action that, at first, appeared to be little more than an ordinary jyuken punch, but Natsuki was quick to prove their assumptions wrong as a blast of red chakra spiraled out of her hand and dissipated after about three feet.

For a moment there was silence. Both Gaara's and Moeko's mouths were hanging wide open in shock. Neither of them had seen anything even remotely like that before, at least not from someone so young. This was simply beyond what anyone of that age should be able to accomplish, both in terms of technique and the amount of chakra that was needed for such a technique. And then there was the color. The red was familiar to Naruto, Hinata, and Gaara, but Moeko had never seen it before. She had only heard about it in the stories Gaara told her.

Then, as quickly as the quiet had come it was gone. Red hair flew about wildly as Gaara rocked back in his seat, laughing and clapping loudly. It was obvious that he was impressed, as well he should be. Moeko quickly made her way over to he niece and placed a loving hand on her shoulder. Quietly she spoke in a small voice.

"That was great Natsuki-chan. You must be proud of yourself."

The young girl just beamed at the compliment.

By this point Gaara had recovered enough from his enthusiastic celebration to speak.

"Wow! That was pretty exciting. Looks like we might have some interesting stuff to look forward to from our little Ami."

At the mention of her name, the small white-haired girl giggled cutely and reached out for her father to pick her up. Naruto smiled as Hinata handed her to her dad and watched her hug him to the best of her abilities with her short arms.

"Yep, that's why I had her show you, to give you an idea of what to expect. It seems we jinchuuriki have a little extra to give our kids than most."

Gaara laughed again at his friend's comment.

"Indeed it does."

Suddenly Naruto's blue eyes went wide as he remembered something.

"Oh yeah! Check this out Gaara." He turned to his daughter who was talking quietly with Moeko. "Hey Natsuki, tell them what you want to be when you grow up."

Out of nowhere the girl struck a triumphant pose with her head held high and her hands on her hips.

"I'm going to be the next Hokage."

That was it for Gaara. He couldn't take it. He nearly fell to the ground laughing. It .. was…. just….. too…. funny. He momentarily caught his breath in order to say something.

"Now where have I heard that before?"

"I've got no idea. It certainly wasn't from me."

Gaara glared at him in a half serious accusatory manner. Naruto shrugged.

"What? My pose was a lot cooler than hers."

A/N: Part 2 done. It's short. I'm not really happy with it. I felt like I needed to post something though. I felt like ass all day so that could be part of the problem. Oh well, I'll see about churning something out for tomorrow. Perhaps a conclusion to this arc. I've got a good idea for how to end it. Should be fun.

RLnaruhina: Yeah, maybe I'll actually include them sometime rather than just skirting around them. Blech. Oh well.

Makokam: You know that Hinata would be a clever mom like that. I'm not sure whether to take that as a high compliment for my fluff or a minor insult to my action. The confusion hurts my brains. A/N above should explain the age gap some. I will however see about creating some chapters about their budding relationship.

Jays Arravan: I guess it's just a mood I'm in. However I don't know if "thnkinh" is thanking or thinking so I can't respond properly to it. I'm sure you understand. Your other question is answered in the upper A/N.

RawD: Fair enough. Everything I think is incoherent. It's rather surprising that I can form a story like this. Weird.

Inu-youkess: I must say I love the fluff. Glad you do too. Thanks!

DemonReader: I'm trying to make Natsuki into a somewhat atypical child. As in not obnoxious. Gaara? Where?

Raziel Tepes: From one type of crazy to the next. Welcome to the world of Gaara. Gaara will never die. Those who kill him can bite me. Gaara only does the killing. In very fun ways I might add.

Danny-171984: Ami is a little young for adventures in this segment. I will definitely do a "play" scene before they leave though. My reasons for longer (I assume you're talking about the gap between them) update times is college makes me busy. It also wears me out and creates a strong desire for time to do nothing. Writing is more than nothing. Tired. So very tired.

MichelLover67: I've gone from waking up at 7 when I was a kid to waking up at 2 now. That's a 7 hour difference! My internal clock is broken I think. My parents always woke me up for Christmas. I'm a weird kid. I have no reason to fear you. My wombats are unbeatable.

John Bellamy: Ok. Well I won't answer any more questions you ask that I answer in A/N. They're short. Read them.

Dragon Man 180: Given my current sleep schedule if you did that to me it would not end well for you. Me and mornings don't get along in the slightest. I only like the AM when it's dark.

Aloi-chan: Natsuki is dating Tsuyomaru in many years. I really should do a chapter on that. Meh. GAARA!

Elisa7692: Yeah, 4 is a long ways away from 59. I understand. Props on the 85. It's been a long time since I did that well on a math test. Like middle school. Oh wait, I think I did that well on a few trig tests. Me + geometry yay.

Blinkin: I can't wait to learn more about her either. Now I just need to think up how she is. Dang this is hard work. And yes I have an original story in the works. Hopefully it will progress into a full-blown novel. You're welcome to read it if you want. Just ask me for it.

Anime/Manga lubber: No new record. It seems it's not in the cards. Oh well, no love for the hobo. I cry. Or something like that.

BeautifulStruggle: You'll see it someday. I get so many requests for different things that I just can't write them all. They also have to compete with my own ideas that I just consider better. Don't worry though. They'll show up.

Warprince2000: A monkey poured coffee in my boots.

Mythril dust: Heh, yeah kids can be cute. Naruto is like me in a lot of ways (I'm smarter than him though I'm almost as dense) Heh, I didn't think of the jiraiya Horns. I don't think that's it though. Yeah, I like where they're taking Sakura in the manga though so I can't hate her. NaruHina will prevail. I swear it.

ShinobiFighter: Hey now. I'm the raging one here. Don't make me get the sedatives.


	61. Sabaku no Hana

A/N: Sorry about the very long wait for this chapter. I've been ridiculously tired lately, and just a touch sick. Anyways I'll try to get the next chapter up for you ASAP. Not that that means much coming from me anymore. I've noticed a drop off in reviews too. Makes me sad. The story is on 107 favorites lists and maybe 10 of them review. Please? I love you. :makes puppy dog eyes: I love hearing from you guys. It always makes my day. Well that's enough of me being pathetic, on to the story!

Sabaku no Hana (Flower of the Desert)

Two women were seated at the dining room table sipping at the tea they held in their slender hands. The one with dark blue hair held the mug up to her lips, the picture of perfect calm. The white-haired woman though was anything but calm at that moment. She stared anxiously into the steaming liquid in her hands, casting the occasional tremulous glance out the window. The other woman was used to her friend's nervous nature and decided to sit quietly and wait for her to speak.

"I always worry when those two go out together." She murmured just barely above a whisper.

Hinata just giggled slightly at her friend's comment. It was all so familiar, from the sentiment right down to the way it was said. She remembered a time when she was just like Moeko, when the entire room had to be quiet before she could be heard speaking. Things had changed a lot over the years. At last she had found her confidence and was able to speak freely around whomever she wished. She was still quiet though, she would never be loud, but she spoke with enough force that she could be heard by those she was speaking to. That was all she really wanted anyways.

"I wouldn't worry about them, they're big boys now."

That earned a small laugh from he violet-eyed woman. Hinata chose to press her advantage and continued with the joke.

"Besides, they've got Natsuki with them. She'll keep them out of trouble."

Moeko proceeded to look at her like she was out of her mind, something that didn't go unnoticed by the pale-eyed woman.

"They aren't going to do anything too stupid while they've got the kids."

That earned a sigh from her white-haired friend as she glanced at the window again.

"I suppose you're right."

At this point Hinata realized that the best thing she could do for Moeko was to distract her. She clearly wasn't going to be convinced that the pair of lunatics they loved so dearly were capable of not causing mischief while they were on their own.

"You know." Hinata calmly interrupted her worries. "You've never told me how you met Gaara."

A light shone in the timid woman's eyes as her thoughts were drawn back to that special day. In all honesty she had never told anyone about it. She didn't really think they would care about it. Even if she did think they cared it's unlikely that she would tell them. She wasn't really comfortable talking most of the time unless she was asked a question. Slowly things were changing though. With Gaara and with his friends, and now her friends, Naruto and Hinata she was starting to open up. She smiled sweetly at her now best friend and concluded it wouldn't hurt to tell her. It might even be nice to share that happiness with someone.

"Well." She began in a quietly conferred. "I met him back when I used to work blowing glass. Every couple of days he would stop by to watch me work, never really saying much. It made me a little uncomfortable but he always bought something so I didn't complain. After he had been coming for a week he started talking to me as I worked. It was a bit odd and I didn't say much back to him, but he seemed nice enough. He would tell me stories about his siblings and his friends in Konoha."

Hinata smiled at that. It was nice to know that Gaara told others about them the way they told people about him. Moeko continued.

"Then one day he didn't come and I got worried about him. I knew he was a ninja because of his forehead protector so I thought he might have gotten hurt on a mission. There wasn't anything I could do though. I didn't have any way of finding him so I just had to wait and hope he was ok. Even then it seemed odd that I was thinking about him like that. I had only known him for two weeks at that point after all. I didn't think I could even call him a friend. He was just someone that came to my shop everyday, which, now that I think about it, is much stranger than him missing a day. I didn't sleep at all that night. I just couldn't get him out of my head. Was he off hurt somewhere? Did he die? I knew there was nothing I could do for him even if I was with him, but I couldn't stop myself from wishing I was by his side. When I got to the shop the next day I felt terrible. My hair was all messed up and I had dark rings under my eyes from not sleeping, but then I saw him standing out front and everything went away. He was just casually leaning against the wall like nothing had happened. When he noticed me he turned and waved with this big grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile. He just looked so cute."

Hinata remembered that feeling very well. She had it every time she saw the boisterous blond she called her love. It was pretty obvious that Moeko had no idea what that feeling meant at that point though. The dark-haired girl rested her chin in her hands as she listened to her friend keep telling her story.

"I wanted to say something to him. To tell him I was glad he was ok, but I couldn't. The words just wouldn't come out. I could feel his smiling eyes on me as I started to open up the shop and set up the fire. He was quiet that day for some reason and didn't talk to me like he usually did. It was strange. I didn't like it at all. I missed the sound of his voice. All day he just sat there watching me with this odd look in his eyes. At lunch he went out and brought me back a really nice bowl of ramen. I had never had it before but it was good."

Blue hair waved to and fro as Hinata shook her head in disbelief. She knew full well where Gaara had picked up the love of ramen from. It was strange how much the two of them ended up being alike.

"So anyways he hadn't said anything the entire day when I started to close up shop, but he kept glancing at me really weird, almost like he was nervous. I had no idea what he had to be nervous about though. I found out pretty quickly when he came up to me, looked me right in the eyes, and asked me if I would go have dinner with him. I really didn't know what to say, and I doubt I could have said it even if I did, so I just nodded. The moment I did this big stupid grin spread across his face and I couldn't help but laugh. He just had this way of making everything seem brighter when he was around. He took me to a very expensive restaurant. I tried to tell him it was too much, but he insisted. We got in and as soon as the host noticed us his eyes went really wide and he started whispering orders to everyone around him. That was when he turned to us and said, "Right this way Kazekage-sama." I couldn't believe my ears. I stared right at him, but he didn't seem to notice. The host led us to our table and we sat down, but my eyes never left him. He asked me if I had ever been there before but I didn't answer. He shifted uncomfortably and told me I looked beautiful, but I still didn't answer. Then I asked him why he hadn't told me who he was. He just sighed and said he didn't think it mattered. He was right. It didn't. He asked me to marry him six months later."

The princess of the Sand trailed off with a soft smile gracing her face. Seeing the contented grin on Hinata's face made her telling the story all worthwhile. She never realized the effect it could have on someone before. Just then Hinata started to look out the window with a confused expression on her face.

"Do you hear something?"

Now it was Moeko's turn to be confused.

"No." She almost mumbled.

"There it is again. It sounds like it's getting closer."

"YAHOOOOOOOO!"

A streak made up of four bodies, two large, two small, soared by the window on a cloud of sand. With that the two women clasped their hands to their foreheads. They knew this was going to happen. Those two simply couldn't stop themselves from causing a ruckus.

An exasperated sigh escaped through Hinata's lips.

"Why did we marry them again?"

"Because you love us." A voice answered from the door.

Hinata smiled at the blond who had spoken as her and Moeko sauntered over to their husbands and wrapped their arms around them.

"Oh yeah."

A/N: You guys wanted more Moeko so you got it. The story of how her and Gaara met. Heart warming isn't it?

Dragon Man 180: Neither can I. Neither can I. That's why I love the weekends. I get to sleep very late.

Raziel Tepes: Only time will tell. And I have to admit that Gaara is probably my favorite character in the series. I just like NaruHina more than anything.

Makokam: Well I'm happy you liked the chapter despite its shortness and despite my feelings on it. The age gap thing is something that I feel doesn't really matter all that much. It's a bit odd but this is a world where 12 year olds are fighting to the death as ninjas. I think something as minor as a slightly over 2 year age gap isn't going to matter very much. I know what you mean, but it's too late to change it now. Besides, I like being odd.

Aloi-chan: I love my kids. They're so damn cute. I am of course referring to my kids in the story. No way am I cranking them out for real this early.

Hopeless-flame: I slept on a pair of dining room chairs pushed together when I was little. That rocked. Very comfy. I think we just see the world with more sunshine than most. Laughing is fun. Well she is the daughter of Uzumaki Naruto, of course she wants to be the Hokage.

RawD: Loss for words you say? Yeah that's a problem when you have to review so many chapters. Perhaps you can say random amusing things? That would be fun.

Jester12: Scary awesome you mean.

Danny171984: Naruto + Hinata Natsuki. Shes got her father's rambunctiousness and her mother's manners. The perfect combo. Lol. Or something like that.

RLnaruhina: Darn mothers. Always getting in the way. I guess. Oh is that how it works? I thought it was short person short review. MUAHAHAHA

DemonReader: Could have been longer if I wasn't dying. But I was. I didn't enjoy it. Not sure where you saw the competitiveness. I think Naruto was just showing Gaara what he had to look forward to as Ami got older. The rest of the show was just pure little kids loving to show off. Gomen does mean sorry and Nani means what.

MichelLover67: An interesting new format for your reviews. Dude, wombats are like the Akimichis of the fuzzy animal world. They'll roll right over your pathetic squirrel army. Don't say I didn't warn you. FEAR THE WOMBAT!

John Bellamy: I see. This chapter had what I am convinced is one of the funniest moments in the story though. I hope you agree. YAHOO!

Blinkin: Alright. Send me an IM or an e-mail and I'll send you my other story.

Aikuchi Shikaku: Foreshadowing? Moi? I would never do such a thing. :snickers evilly: Don't worry there will be adult Natsuki, Ami, and Kanai chapters. I just need to work my way to them.

Jays Arravan: Glad the A/N cleared it up for you. It did the same thing for me. Damn my thoughts are all jumbled. Ok, Ami will be around eventually. Probably pretty soon since everyone seems to want more of her.

Mythril dust: All little kids are show offs. It's because they have no inhibitions. If you think you're amazing you show it off, and kids think they're amazing. Laughter is my favorite thing. I'm glad I was able to give you some. I love the manga. I recommend you read it.

SerenityMelody: Super! I hope you got enough sleep even though you were reading this. I wouldn't want you all worn out because of me.

Warprince2000: Oh you know, it's like when a man loves a woman and he wants to….. Nah, it's just something from a weird internet cartoon I've seen. It's really funny. I couldn't think of anything else to say to you so you got randomness. Ach meine augen!


	62. Real Truth

Old record equals crushed. And it didn't actually take this long to break it. I think it was broken by the third day. 26 reviews. I'm amazed and enthralled. Thanks. I appreciate it.

Real Truth

A red-haired man looked up to a pair of young children sitting on a cloud of sand.

"Alright. You girls ready?"

The elder of the pair was quick to shout out her enthusiastic reply.

"YEAH!"

Her younger companion just giggled and clapped her hands. Gaara smiled. He loved doing this. Not that he would ever let his enemies find out he had a soft spot for kids. He was not, however, about to let any child grow up like he did. They would be loved no matter who they were.

"Ok then, LET'S GO!"

And with a swing of his arm the sand the girls were seated on flew forward. With another motion it turned a loop in the air and left the riders with huge grins on their innocent faces.

Casually, a man with startling bright blond hair walked up next to his friend. He called out to their daughters, mirth clear in his voice.

"Hey! I'll bet you can't catch me!"

That certainly lit a fire in the heart of his daughter in particular. She cried out unintelligibly as she pointed at him ferociously. It seemed she was going to be telling Gaara where to take the cloud now. He was more than happy to oblige as he willed his sand to begin chasing the whiskered man around.

Each movement Naruto made caused the sand following him to jerk in that direction, giving the girls the ride of their young lives. Playfully, the blond ran up a wall and back flipped over the heads of his pursuers. While still in the air he planted a quick kiss on Natsuki's head while lightly pinching Ami's cheek.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to catch me." He shouted out mockingly.

Instantly the sand and girls began to race towards him at a speed that was blazingly fast, but still slow enough that it didn't hurt them. Naruto just scoffed.

"This is too easy."

Carelessly he limboed underneath the sand and righted himself on the other side. He glanced over at Gaara and teased him with a yawn.

That was the last straw. Gaara sent the children flying at the blond man's head. Moments before Naruto could dodge the cloud split into two and went to either side of Naruto, who looked on in mild confusion. Suddenly, the children hurtled in at him, but he was ready for them, or so he thought. With mild horror he realized he couldn't move his legs. He glanced down to see a pile of sand around his feet, holding him tightly to the ground. In another second the sand struck him on both sides of his head, filling his hair and ears with the tiny grains. Playfully, Natsuki mussed her father's hair from where she floated above him. He laughed, spitting sand from his mouth. Gaara appeared in front of him with a huge smirk on his face.

"I win." He stated simply

"You cheated."

"You should have been paying attention."

Before Naruto could respond a female shout interrupted him.

"What are you doing!"

Two pairs of male eyes snapped to see who had just spoken, the fear in them almost tangible. Their fear did not diminish when the rapidly darkening violet eyes of Moeko came into view. Gaara swallowed hard. He knew this look all too well. Normally his wife was shy, sweet, quiet, and very non-confrontational. However, when it came to her child she could become quite fierce. It was time for him to try to defuse this particular time bomb. His couch wasn't nearly comfortable enough for him to want to sleep on it. He tried the nonchalant approach.

"We were just playing with the girls." He said as he looked at her hopefully.

No luck. Time for plan B: convincing her it wasn't actually dangerous.

"They were perfectly safe. See? They're all strapped in and secure."

He flipped the clouds they were on upside down to prove his point.

Bad idea.

The flames that erupted in his wife's eyes were more than enough to make him quickly put the girls right side up. In an attempt at appeasement he floated Ami over to her mother.

'She can't hurt me too much if she's holding her.' He thought to himself.

Fortunately for him the presence of her daughter now resting safely in her arms did seem to calm the white-haired woman. At least enough that she wasn't about to start taking swings at him. She couldn't actually hurt him of course; he just hated how it made him feel.

By this time Natsuki had resumed her attack on her father and was currently trying to get her hands on his face. Not an easy task considering he was holding her in the air above him as he laid on his back. Hinata was looking on fondly as her family tussled playfully on the ground.

Gaara was still stuck trying to find a way to finally make Moeko stop glaring at him. When all else fails, go for honesty.

"Come on. You know that I would never put Ami in danger."

The red-haired man sighed in relief as he watched the anger begin to fade from his lovely wife's eyes. She slowly closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Just promise you won't ever do it again."

He broke into a wide smile at her words. It was a relief. It was already way too hot in the desert without being in hot water with his wife. He calmly walked over and wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulders.

"I promise."

She stood on her toes and planted a light kiss on his cheek before turning and walking towards their house.

"Come on. Dinner is almost ready."

She didn't say it loudly. In fact, it was barely loud enough for Gaara to hear her. Two pairs of startlingly blue eyes sharply turned to look at her all the same. If there is anything that can get the attention of an Uzumaki, it's food.

Gaara chose to ignore his friend's obvious excitement for the moment. He was perturbed by something.

"Hey, I thought you were going to let us cook dinner tonight." He said with a nod to Naruto, who was busy dusting himself off.

The small woman leveled a nasty look at her husband.

"The last time we let you two cook it took a week to clean the kitchen. Never again."

Gaara knew when it was time to look sheepish and go along with his wife. Now was definitely one of those times. He remembered that mess. No one ever did figure out how they managed to get burned food stuck to the inside of the refrigerator door. Cooking so bad it defies the laws of physics, that's what you get when you let the Hokage and Kazekage loose in a kitchen.

Dinner was a far from formal affair. Natsuki was busy showing Ami how to sculpt her mashed potatoes to look like a fox, and the adults were all talking about how much they were going to miss each other when Naruto, Hinata, and Natsuki went back to Konoha the next morning. Promises were made to visit them in the Leaf as soon as possible.

It wasn't long before everyone retreated to bed. It had been a long day and dinner had lasted over two hours with several breaks for Naruto and Gaara to randomly arm-wrestle each other. No one slept alone on that night. Gaara and Moeko slept happily with young Ami nestled in between them, while Naruto and Hinata had much the same arrangement with Natsuki. The main difference being that Natsuki's head was resting on Hinata's stomach and her legs were up around her father's face. It's a good thing Naruto is such a heavy sleeper because he received numerous kicks to the face on this particular night.

Morning came quickly for the two families, the sun's rays pouring in through the windows forcing their eyes open. Naruto grumbled as he extricated his daughter's foot from his mouth. He never was much of a fan of the taste of feet. Hinata giggled sweetly when she saw her blond husband's predicament. She was just glad she got the head end of their daughter.

Breakfast was quick and silent, with the two mothers watching helplessly as their families shoveled food into their mouths. At least Ami wasn't old enough to shovel yet so she was being helped to eat by Moeko. Hinata gracefully raised her fork to her mouth and took another bite of her eggs. A quick activation of her byakugan found an egg sunny side down underneath the table. She sighed. It was going to be hard work teaching Natsuki real table manners. Natsuki was still young though. She would learn. Hinata would make sure of that.

Six people stood outside the gates of the Sand. Technically they were two separate families. They never were much for technicalities. If you were to ask anyone in the group they would list everyone present as part of their family, not because they thought it sounded good, but because that's how they honestly felt. Family is not just something you're born with; it's something you find as you go along. They are people who are more precious to you than life. In all honesty, they are your life. Six people knew that intuitively. They are special.

No tears were shed as three of the group began their trek away from The Sand. Tears are pointless in such a situation. There would come a time when they would see each other again. With luck that time would be soon. Without it, it could be years. In the end though they would meet again, and that's all that really mattered.

A/N: Well that was interesting. I'm sure it wasn't worth the wait but I hope you liked it anyways. There will be a special chapter by Halloween. That's a promise. Not like the ones I've been making lately. I will most likely take a break for a week or so after that. Don't worry I'm not giving up on the fic. I just need some time to recharge. I'm sure you understand.

Dragon Man 180: Because I'm not using Hana as her name but as a description of her. The sand and glass thing was supposed to be part of the connection. I will likely expound on that later.

Blinkin: You're a clever one picking up on my subtleties. Glass is made of sand. I'm so smart.

RLnaruhina: Screw you. Tired. Make short. Die. Moooo. Awww. I still love you. I'm just a little out of my mind right now.

X.S.: What else could have motivated him? A beautiful girl he was interested in. He was bound to see her on one of his wanderings around the village.

RawD: Nope. Monkey is a great word. I use it all the time.

Shukido-chan: I'm very happy you're back and safe. I would feel bad if I lost you. You're like my best fan. Hell, you risked punishment to read the crap I spew. That's awesome. Thanks. I will return.

Thestoneox: Flying sand? I have no idea what you're talking about.

FlyingFleshEater: Review when you want. I appreciate it every time. No you rock my friend. Keep on risking punishment to read my insanity. Thanks!

DemonReader: Well Kanai wasn't born yet. So I imagine he wasn't up to much. Arigato is thank you. At least that's the short version. Ano means "um" approximately. I rock like an oni my friend. I rock hard. Don't worry, I've been ignoring warprince for a long time now. He's my reviewing nemesis. I don't know why he bothers actually.

MichelLover: I kind of have an image of Moeko being rather naïve to what has happened in the past. She knows Gaara for what he is now and doesn't know about his past. To her he's just the Kazekage. I ate a squirrel the other day. Too stringy. Send a fatter one.

Writerauthorguy: Wow! Now that's a compliment. I like not making people want to hurt things. It means I'm doing something right I guess.

Elisa7692: No worries. Thanks. I'll try.

Raziel Tepes: SakuIno? Interesting. Two girls. As a fellow male I can appreciate that. The more breasts the better.

Mythrildust: Hey, he can control the sand so it doesn't get in his food. He's good like that.

Jim-Beam's-my-Buddy: I hate your site name. Such a pain to type out. I'm glad I was able to create another NaruHina fan. Theyre such a sweet couple. I love it. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them as much as you appreciate the story. Thanks again.

ShinobiFighter101: Glad you liked it. Sweet and subtle. It's how I do.

Jo: Sequel? To the story I've got planned for at least 100 chapters? Geez. I dunno. I think I'll just keep writing this one until I collapse from exhaustion. How does that sound?

Shadowlink777: Gee I'm sorry. I'll try to write at the same speed you can read from now on. Good ol sarcasm. You're my only friend. Heh. Thanks. I mean it.

Danny-171984: Not like Moeko was going to make the first move. She could barely talk to him. But yes. Gaara is the man.

Narutofreak2005: Naruto isn't fused with the fox or anything. He can control what he does. He didn't even use the foxes power in the fight. No torture. I didn't give away any of the manga that hasn't been shown in the anime. Just so you know. That's why I don't have spoiler warnings. There are none. I like freaking people out. Hinata will never die in my fic. I just wanted people to get angry at me but still be happy. I succeeded I think. MSU is an ok school. It's not really right for me as a non-partier. I hope you can accomplish your goal someday though. Good luck. Buy my books? Sweet. One sale down, one million to go. Hmm, this could take a while. And yep, I'm more than a little bit older than you. I was wondering when you would figure that out. He gives him horns for a reason that no one knows. It's just a subconscious thing that he does. :shrug: And I'm insane and think it's funny. That's why.

John Bellamy: Well they are fairly similar. Naruto is just louder and Gaara is just quirkier. That's how I've made them.

Hopeless-flame: Gaara and Moeko. Naruto and Hinata. Such fun couples. I love them. Heh. I'm weird I know.

Jays Arravan: Nah Moeko is just an ordinary villager. I know I mentioned that at some point.

Uzumaki-Girl: I'll see about writing that chapter for you. Glad you like my story so far. It means a lot to me.

Hannah: I'm starting to think that I may try to get published. I've got a real story that I need to work on. Maybe I'll get it out there someday. If I do will you buy it: )( :

Makokam: Glad you liked it. Sorry it wasn't as good as the others. They can't all be gems I guess. Moeko is something of an outsider in the village. She's too shy to really get to know people so she doesn't know the stories about Gaara. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Lunarangel: Don't have time to reread your insanity right now so I can't comment on it. But as always I enjoyed it greatly. Thanks for doing these you big nut you.

Warprince2000: My fic will end….. Someday. When I feel like it. Who knows when that will be. I don't like giving up on things at all.

Nonengel: No problem. I perfectly understand. Life is more important than fanfics strangely enough. I'll see what I can do about getting the friends into the act. Thanks as always for reviewing.


	63. The Trick is the Treat

A/N: A Halloween chapter released on Halloween (at least it's still Halloween here.) Anyways, enjoy and Happy Halloween. Send me candy!

The Treat is the Trick

A tall blond man walked down the street next to an only slightly shorter man with silver hair that waved strangely above his head. The blond held a massive ceremonial hat that symbolized his position as Hokage in his hand at his side.

"So, how's life been treating you Kakashi-sensei?"

The gray-haired man laughed through his mask, puffs of steam filtering through the cloth into the chill October air.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to having a Kage call me 'sensei'. You know you don't have to call me that anymore right?"

Naruto returned his laugh.

"Of course I know. But I still come to you for advice and I learn new things from you all the time so it only seems right."

A smile took over the older man's face, forcing his one exposed eye to squint closed.

"Well if you respect me so much I would like you to start referring to me as 'Kakashi-sama'."

Cerulean eyes rolled in mild annoyance.

"Don't push your luck old man."

Kakashi just shrugged before the pair both broke into light chuckles. Naruto was the first to speak again.

"So what are you doing for the trick or treaters tonight?"

"I'm not doing anything. I was just going to go train or something."

Naruto nodded in understanding.

"Mmhmm. Did you perhaps think that I gave you this night off for a reason?"

The pair halted in the street as Kakashi gave his former student a questioning look, eliciting a sigh from the blond.

"Just do it Kakashi. Consider it an order or something if you want. Besides, it will give you an opportunity to pick on little kids again, and I definitely remember you enjoying that." He said with a wry smile.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're bitter about how I trained you guys. You know they say you always hurt the ones you love."

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave his friend a condescending look.

"Oh, is that why your face is all swollen from where Kurenai punched you yesterday?"

A sigh escaped through the dark blue mask of the famous copy ninja.

"How was I supposed to know I wasn't allowed to grab her ass in public?"

Naruto's deep blue eyes went wide in amazement. He had no idea Kakashi was this dumb. Did he really go to this man for advice?

"You're lucky all you got was a punch. If I did anything like that to Hinata I would be dead, or at least without the use of my hands for a month or two."

The silver-haired jounin cringed at the thought. Hinata had managed to shrug off her shyness over the years, but there was no way she was going to let anyone embarrass her in public without severe punishment. After a quick shudder he got the conversation back to the main point.

"So why do I have to stay at home and give out candy to all the little kiddies?"

"I can't tell you. Just leave it at that it's an order and I'll be making sure you comply with my old friend kage bunshin no jutsu."

Kakashi rolled his one visible eye.

"Well at least Kurenai will keep me company."

Naruto responded with a bright "Yep!" and started walking again. He gave a quick wave to his old friend before trotting off down the street.

"See you later." He called back over his shoulder.

His final words sent a chill up the elder ninja's spine. There was an ominous quality about them that he couldn't quite place his finger on. He had a feeling that something strange was going to happen tonight and he wasn't looking forward to find out what it is.

Across town Naruto burst into his home in his typical grand fashion. Attracting the attention of everyone in the house, and some that weren't. His lovely wife met him at the door, quickly standing on her toes to give him a quick kiss on his smiling lips. His grin widened as he wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulders.

"Are their costumes ready yet?"

She nodded.

"Come see for your self."

Taking him by the hand she led him into the kitchen where there two children stood decked out in their Halloween finest. Natsuki had her arm casually draped around little Kanai's shoulders. Naruto's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Wow! You two look great. I'm impressed. You've both got really cool costumes."

Both children responded to their father's compliment in their own way. Kanai smiled so broadly it forced his eyes to squint closed, while Natsuki settled for a smaller grin and a blush that reminded Naruto of her mother. He mentally tallied another point into his chart that proves Natsuki is more like Hinata than him. He was thankful for that, for while being who he is earned him the love of the greatest woman on Earth, having two people act like him might be a bit much.

"Ok then! As soon as we eat we can head out."

Cheers erupted from the costumed due before him. They both quickly rushed out of the room to wash up. Naruto turned to face his ivory-eyed wife.

"I'm just glad Kanai didn't decide to go as a mummy again this year. He wasted a ton of toilet paper on that one." He whispered with a dry smirk.

Hinata rewarded his joke with a light slap to his shoulder.

"Oh come on, it was cute. Besides, he was only four. I'm impressed he came up with the idea on his own."

Naruto could do little but roll his eyes. She was right of course, but that didn't change the fact it wasn't fun to clean up all the tattered toilet paper their youngest left behind.

Dinner was largely uneventful. Well, as uneventful as any event in the Uzumaki household could be. Especially considering the excitement of the two children, which only fueled the never-ending enthusiasm of their father. Only one item of food went air born so the meal as a whole was considered a success.

They quickly finished eating and slipped into their costumes. Naruto placed the pair of glass horns Gaara had asked Moeko to make for him on his head as Hinata pulled the hood of her Grim Reaper costume up over her head. Naruto took one look at her and burst into laughter. It's hard to take a 'Death' that's barely over 5 feet tall seriously

"You have got to be the least intimidating Grim Reaper I have ever seen." He gasped out between laughs.

The blunt blade of his wife's scythe was placed on the back of his neck and used to pull him down to eye level. She glared at him evilly as she whispered.

"I don't just take lives Naruto-kun, I also take away bedroom privileges."

The jinchuuriki gulped in fear. He really didn't want to get kicked out of the bedroom. He liked that bed and those covers, oh, and sleeping next to the most beautiful woman around didn't hurt either. A quick peck on the cheek told him that she was only joking though.

The children noisily made their presence known and with that they were out the door. The group paraded merrily about the village, earning a number of laughs and comments about how cute the kids looked on their way. Each time they stopped at the house of someone they knew personally the person who answered the door almost certainly fell down laughing. The kids were a little confused but their parents knew exactly what was going on and they had no doubt they would figure it out later.

It was finally time for the last stop of the night. Natsuki and Kanai's bags were positively stuffed with candy as they made their way up the door of their father's old sensei. Natsuki stepped forward and pounded on the wood….. hard….. once, twice, and three times. Just before she could knock a fourth time the door swung open and her hand hit only air. The children knew this was their cue.

"Trick or Treat!" They shouted at the top of their lungs.

Silence was their answer, and stillness, lots and lots of stillness. They looked up at the man they considered to be a kind of grandfather to them and noticed that he had yet to move since he opened the door. He just stood there wide-eyed and open mouthed, at least it seemed like that under his mask. Kurenai appeared behind her new husband to see what was going on and promptly started laughing. She would have fallen over if Kakashi hadn't been standing as still as his namesake scarecrow and providing her something to lean on. The children continued to look on in confusion as their parents shared a silent laugh behind them at the expense of the silver-haired mannequin in the doorway.

After a minute Kurenai managed to bring herself down to a slight chuckle but Kakashi was still stiff with shock. A quick slap to the back of his head from his ruby-eyed wife was enough to snap him out of it though. He blinked a couple of times before he looked at the two kids on his doorstep again. They each were wearing replicas of the standard jounin vest over a black body suit with a spiral patch on the shoulder. Their costumes were topped off with a black cloth mask that covered most of their faces, a Konoha forehead protector that was pulled down over the left eye and a large spiky silver wig. He shook his head slightly while a wide grin spread across his face.

"Nice costumes."

A/N: I don't think I managed to get Kakashi's reaction to be as funny as I had intended. I cry. I think it's still pretty good though. Mini-Kakashis ahoy!

Dragon Man 180: Hey Moeko is protective of her little baby. She was never a shinobi so she doesn't understand that this kind of treatment is normal.

RawD: Nice to know I'm loved. Lol. The day is only empty if you let it be my friend. Some friendly advice from your local hobo.

Thestoneox: I think you don't give yourself enough credit on your character interaction. I think it's actually quite well done. I don't remember if I was mocking you. Let's just assume it wasn't serious and move along. Happy Halloween foo!

Makokam: Yeah, I had that incident earlier. At least the food turned out good then despite the mess. Aww cmon Gaara is a nice guy. He wouldn't use his sand just to spite people….. much.

DemonReader: I know I know. It's a sad day whenever a Gaara arc ends. I'll get around to more angry dad Gaara later I imagine. Thanks! I like breaking records. Makes me feel all special. Sasuke's not coming back. I'm not going to pull one of those "HA! Fooled you way back when." Because they are lame and they just show that the author wrote themselves into a corner. He'll be staying dead no matter how much easier it would be on me if he was alive. And I think the ending of Mother stayed within the rating because I didn't describe anything explicitly. It's more implied what happened than clearly stated.

Danny-171984: There are people that can sleep through that. Hell, I slept through a fire alarm. Which was fun of course. My mom was just testing it by the way, there was no fire.

Warprince2000: Thanks as always. Hope you liked this chapter too.

Shinku: I'll see what I can do about including something about that somewhere along the line. There is so much that I need to write still. I'll add yours to the list though.

Mythril dust: Well she's just an ordinary citizen. She doesn't understand shinobi standards of safety. I always try to keep Natsuki a mix of Naruto and Hinata. A healthy middle ground.

MichelLover67: I'll leave the foot sucking to you man. I'm not messing with that. Very weird little mini story you've got going here. Keeps me entertained. Mmmm cheese.

Anime/Manga lubber: I am well aware of the lovin' that hw and projects can deliver. I definitely don't recommend letting fictional characters into your kitchen to cook. I doubt it will end well.

Kagariyuraashua: The timeline jumping keeps me fresh. I hope it's not too big of a problem for you. Don't worry, there's still a lot more to come.

Hopeless-flame: Um, about a week and a half? Maybe a little more. That's my guess at least. Gaara is still naïve to the ways of the normal world. It's a good thing Moeko tolerates him eh?

RLnaruhina: Yeah well it's this one or that one it seems. I'm too busy to write both. Nothing like getting pounded by school to lessen your motivation.

Lunarangel's Dark Flame: Gee I wonder. A monkey wearing suspenders::punch: Oww. Hey! What was that for? I am well aware of my own nuttiness. How do you think I come up with this crap?

Blinkin: Yeah, I'm working on giving Moeko more of a unique personality. I hope she comes out how I want her. It's hard to keep characters how you envision them sometimes.

Raziel Tepes: Me? A pervert? I have no idea what you're talking about…..

John Bellamy: Glad I could bring back some pleasant memories for you. And of course that's who she got it from.

Nonengel: The game was a fun image in my nutty little head. I'm glad it worked for you too.

Imperial Angel: That's because they're the best. That would be awesome if you could draw something for me. I would appreciate that a ton. I would love to find out how others envision my story. Not sure what you're talking about with Sasuke. He left to go with Orochimaru. Then in my story I had him kill Orochimaru and come to get Naruto. He hurt Hinata so Naruto killed him. If that didn't answer your question you'll have to be more specific. Strudel Rocks! Peace.


	64. Reasons

A/N: Um, sorry about the wait. I badly needed a recharge and I think I still need a bit more. That writing a chapter everyday stuff really took it out of me. A few have you have pointed out that my last chapter put me up to 123456 words. I knew this. Actually I altered the word count of that chapter so that I would hit that mark. There is something very wrong with me I know. Also, there is yet another new record for reviews. 28::Faints: I'm so lucky to have readers like you. Thanks! Now sit back and enjoy the show.

Reasons

A muttered curse escaped between fang-like teeth as a trickle of blood made it's way into a pair of bright red eyes.

"Dammit!"

He spat to expel the coppery taste of his own blood from his mouth. He turned his head, taking in his surroundings. All around him were piles of dead bodies; many missing limbs or riddled with holes. He had caused all of this. There was only one problem, there were still many who stood, ready to attack him.

His chest heaved as he sucked in breath after breath of precious oxygen. He had lost track of how long he had been fighting. It had to be at least four hours now. He couldn't even tell where they all were coming from. Individually they wouldn't have been any problem at all, but this was like fighting a swarm of angry hornets. He chuckled softly as an image of his friend Shino flashed in his mind. Sparring with him had always been…… interesting.

He jerked his head to the side as a razor sharp kunai whizzed past his face, sending beads of moisture into the air from his sweat soaked blond hair. Apparently that had only been a warning shot though as blades filled the air, forming a veritable dome around him. Moments before they would have pierced his body he let loose an unearthly roar. A wave of deep red chakra pulsed from his body stopping the weapons cold.

Before anyone could react he had disappeared from where he was standing and reappeared in front of a stunned man, instantly ramming his fist through his stomach. The blond man winced as a blade opened yet another wound on his haggard body. Normally a cut like this would close up almost immediately, but he just couldn't spare that kind of energy. He needed it all to fend off the wave after wave of enemy nins that rushed towards him.

"What the hell do you want!" He yelled as he sent yet another attacker hurtling through the air.

A lone ninja answered, possibly the leader. Naruto made note of his face for future reference.

"We have orders to take your life. That is all."

Cerulean eyes glanced about, wide with amazement. Their movements were exaggerated so they would direct his enemies' attention with them. He waved his open palm at the piles of dead.

"What kind of payment could be worth all of this?"

Again the same man responded.

"There is no need for you to know that Naruto-san."

The blond cried out in pain as a spear made from the roots of a tree sprang up from the ground and shot through his thigh. The sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the air as Naruto forcefully pulled his leg from where it was pinned. He yelled once more before collapsing onto his knees.

Time seemed to slow down as he knelt, struggling to breathe. He couldn't believe this was happening. He had been on his way home from yet another successful mission when it seemed as if an entire army of missing-nins had attacked him. It made no sense. Missing-nins never worked together. What on Earth could possibly have caused this? Questions continued to race through his mind, but everything kept returning to just one thought.

'Am I going to die here?'

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

He was following her again as she walked serenely through the woods around Konoha. He liked to claim that it was good training, sneaking up on a member of the famous Hyuuga clan. The truth was an entirely different matter. He just liked following her. To say he was infatuated with her was a bit of an understatement, he was obviously in love with her. Of course, they had been dating for almost a year by then so it was hardly unusual. The fact was that when she knew he was around she still acted kind of nervous and shy, and he really liked to see her when she was perfectly calm, something she only was when she was alone.

A small sigh poured through her lips as she leaned up against a tree next to a small pond that shimmered in the moonlight. Slowly she started to softly hum a lilting melody, eventually breaking out into quiet song.

_Lovers and lilacs_

_Perfect words_

_I wont let you take back_

_I'll smile and say_

_I love you more_

Naruto stifled his urge to get closer to hear her better. Her voice sounded almost angelic. He never knew she could sing. Apparently she was just too nervous to do it with an audience.

_I know_

_I can't fight the nightfall_

_But that_

_Doesn't mean I'll leave you alone_

_I'll be_

_Here for you in the form of a star_

_Lighting your way_

_Wherever you are_

He smiled at her words. It sounded like she was singing directly to him, but he knew that wasn't true. She didn't even know he was there after all.

Maybe I'm worrying too much I know that you say that you're strong 

_I know that it's true_

_But my love for you_

_Makes me hope that you'll take me along_

He stared at her wide-eyed. He felt sure that she was singing for him. Maybe she had just wrote it for him? Did she even know how to write like that? A pang of guilt struck him as he realized how little he knew about the gentle girl who had claimed his heart. He was going to have to change that.

_I know_

_I can't fight the nightfall_

_But that_

_Doesn't mean I'll leave you alone_

_I'll be_

_Here for you in the form of a star_

_Lighting your way_

_Wherever you are_

_Shine your blue eyes down on me_

_Reflect my light so I can see_

_I look so much better in your eyes_

_Like heaven dancing in azure skies_

Ok. Now he was sure she was singing about him. This was just too much. He knew that she cared for him, even loved him, but he had no idea just how deep her feelings were. A single tear lazily rolled down his cheek. This was just too much.

So I want you to 

_Believe in me_

_Like I believe in you_

_And know that all I say is true_

_There's no way I can tell a lie_

_I'm just a light reflected in your eyes_

And that was the end of the song. Naruto frowned. He had hoped that it would last forever. Sighing, he leaned back against the tree he was sitting in, his right leg dangling loosely off the branch. In a way the song was confusing. He couldn't imagine someone feeling that way about him. But in another way it made everything seem so perfectly clear. He loved this girl. There was no doubt in his mind.

A soft voice rang out from the direction of the pond, startling him from his reverie.

"Did you like it?"

He recovered from his shock enough to nod his head yes. Not that that actually answered the girl's question since she was facing away from him still.

"Naruto-kun?" She murmured as she turned her head to look at him.

He shook his head to release himself from his amazement before a bright smile spread across his lips. He casually jumped from the tree and walked over to where the navy-haired girl was waiting. Tenderly he slid his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"I loved it Starshine."

She looked up at him, confused.

"Starshine?"

Her question only served to widen his smile, his white teeth shining from some unknown light source.

"You know, like your song. You said you would be there for me in the form of a star."

A faint blush flared up on her pale cheeks, warming them against the cool night air. She nodded in response, not trusting her voice with him so close.

Moments passed but time seemed to stand still as the couple stood in each other's arms. The soft trill of a cricket's chirp could be heard off in the grass beside them. Suddenly Naruto broke the silence, pulling the small girl away from him. He needed to be able to see her face when he said what he needed to say.

"I'm leaving tomorrow on a mission. I don't know how long I'll be gone but it will be at least a month."

Her pale-eyes visibly saddened at the news as she valiantly struggled to keep from crying. Ever since they had begun dating she had never had to be away from him for more than week. They had even been assigned to go on their longer missions together, something Hinata was sure Naruto had something to do with. She quickly crushed herself into his chest as she felt the tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Is it dangerous?" She whispered into his shirt.

"Yeah….. But I'll be fine you know that."

She just nodded.

"Be careful." She finally managed to choke out.

Naruto couldn't help but cringe at the fear in her voice. He knew there was nothing he could do about it, but that didn't make it any easier.

"I will." He softly said as he tucked his face down into her silky hair.

"Stay with me?" Her timid voice asked tinged with hope.

"I can't."

"Just for tonight?"

He pulled her closer to him in reaction.

"Ok."

How could he say no?

The moon carved its way across the midnight sky as the pair rested against the trunk of a large oak tree. Neither of them had spoken since they sat down. It almost seemed like to end the peace would be to make the moment end, and neither of them wanted that to happen.

Slowly, sadly, Hinata ended the moment.

"Naruto-kun?"

He glanced down so his blue eyes met her ivory ones. She continued.

"Promise me you'll come back to me."

Gently he leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Always."

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

'NO!'

The intense thought was accompanied by a blast of fiery red chakra

'I can't die here. I promised Hinata I would come back. I can't let her down.'

Angrily, chakra started to swirl about the battered teen, encasing his entire body in its glow.

Noone, not even Naruto himself is entirely sure what happened next. One moment he was there, the next he was gone and a nin fell to the ground dead, and then another, and another, and another. Each body was more decimated than the last. A head that had been severed from its owner flew across the battlefield and struck another man unconscious.

Then, just as suddenly as he had disappeared, Naruto was again standing just where he had been before, only now he seemed almost completely unhurt. He growled at the men who remained standing around him

"I don't care why you're here or who sent you. All I know is that you're trying to keep me from getting home, and that's something I just can't let you do."

The rest of the missing-nin who had yet to fall looked back and forth at each other, seemingly asking if they should retreat. In the end though, they knew they couldn't. Their employer would never allow such a thing.

At some unseen signal they all rushed the young blond. It was the last mistake they ever made.

It was like a bomb had gone off at Naruto's feet. The blast easily extended at least 100 feet in all directions, completely annihilating the incoming force. When the explosion cleared there stood the blond as if nothing had happened. Not a single wound could be seen anywhere on his body.

"I'll be home soon Hinata." He whispered to himself.

And then he fell, hitting the ground with a thud. A small smile graced his lips as he slipped into peaceful slumber.

A/N: Well now, I hope that was at least kind of worth the wait. I just have this to say. I will make it to 100 chapters, I just don't know how long it will take. There will be a definitive ending to the story and you'll know it when you see it. Maybe you'll even like it.

RLnaruhina: I don't have to do anything you tell me! And Hinata as death is just too damn cute. Wiggity whack mo fo.

Makokam: Because to the kids the costumes aren't jokes. They're more like dressing up as your personal hero or something along those lines. Or at least someone you think is really cool. That's actually probably closer to it.

Dragon Man 180: Hinata is powerful. Beds are needed to sleep on. You don't want to lose that. Who knows what Gaara dresses as? It's bound to be interesting though.

Imperial Angel: Well Sasuke was mentioned in chapter 4 when Naruto actually did kill him. It was a while ago so I guess I can see why you would forget. Seeing as how I live in Michigan I don't have a lot of baseball love. Although the year I was born was the last year the tigers one the World Series. Go figure.

MichelLover67: You're starting to make me look like the sane one… That's probably not a good thing.

RawD: I figure I always imagined Naruto's horns being slightly larger than Jiraiya's. They're nothing too crazy.

Danny-171984: I've got Kanai as 5 in that chapter which would make Natsuki 11. I always put subtle clues as to their ages in the chapters. Or I say them out right. Whichever I feel like. And you're darn right they're cute. Look at their parents.

Raziel Tepes: Well I didn't exactly update soon. Sorry about that. My brain was the dead. S'all good though. I have recovered for the most part.

Shukido-chan: Chibi Kakashis are bound to be amusing ne? Now picture them all hopped up on sugar. Good times are had by all.

Animefreak-shinobi: Yep, it was by design too. I'm so weird.

DemonReader: Meh. Halloween isn't spooky. I guess I could have gone that direction though. Maybe next time. I didn't really put much thought into Naruto's costume. I just gave him the horns. I guess he was taking it easy this year. My e-mail is provided in my profile here. Just click on it and it will give it to you. I would love to see what you draw for me. That would be awesome.

Mythril dust: Glad you liked the title. They're hard to come up with sometimes. No Halloween? How sad. Where are you from? And how did you get candy? It is a very cute holiday though. As long as the kids aren't in store bought costumes. Those are always lame.

Writerauthorguy: hobo crack is strong. MMM.

Syaoran-sama: And your question is answered. This is how she got her nickname. Hope you liked the explanation.

FlyingFleshEater: No worries. I don't mind you missing chapters. Review when you can. Nice costume by the way. Quite original. Lol.

Toenail: ah the giggles of someone who has been amused by the hobo. They're music to my ears…. Anyways, thanks. I appreciate your kind words.

Elisa7692: I didn't do anything for Halloween except write this chapter. I guess that was mildly amusing. You shouldn't go trick or treating without a costume though. That's bad. Ruins the holiday. Sigh.

LauraNeatO: Yeah I know what Hinata translates too roughly. I had kind of answered why I call her Starshine before but this chapter is a better explanation. The other one is that I call a girl I know Starshine and Hinata reminds me of her. Pretty simple. I guess I'll have to go back and provide some explanation for Sasuke's craziness at some point. Oh well.

Kagariyuraashua: It was funny because everyone recognizes Kakashi and seeing midget versions of him is amusing. Pretty simple. Ah well, I guess I'll have to explain my jokes better in the future.

Hopeless-flame: I think you should dress up like him. That would be cool. Especially if you can get a sharingan contact lens….

ShinobiFighter: I imagine I will make one for Christmas too. Though it is unknown if I'll be able to post it since I don't have internet access at my Dad's which is where I'll be staying then. We shall see.

First Of The Fallen: Ami is about 2.5 years older than Kanai. I don't remember exactly how much of an age gap I gave them, but that is about right. It's explained in some chapter earlier on.

John Bellamy: Your double reviews are great for my review total. Cheers mate!

Lunarangel's Dark Flame: I'm too tired to look back and see if I mocked you or if you're just making something up. I'll assume that there are wizards in my pudding and call it a day. Weasel weasel wombat to you my dear.

Anime/Manga lubber: I was under the impression I did answer your question. Have you lost your mind perhaps? If you find it again you can keep it in a jar with mine.

Nonengel: Your reviews are always so nice. They brighten my day. I loved the interlude with Hinata. Go grim Hinata go!

No one you know: Oh I noticed. And it ain't no coincidence. I'm weird. That is all.

Warprince2000: You're darn tootin! Thanks.

Narutofreak2005: Thanks for reviewing, but I think you might want to pay more attention during your spelling tests. It will help you later when you try to get into a school like MSU. Though I do understand that stuff like "psychotic" is rather difficult to spell. Hope to hear from you again soon.

No Jutsu: I have no idea where the monkeys are. South America perhaps? Your ad is the awesome though. I will keep it in mind when I need to make commercials for um hobos I guess.


	65. Resolve

A/N: Super duper record on the last chapter. 32 reviews. That's 4 more than the previous record. You guys rock like a van in the 70's. Thanks a ton. Enjoy the chapter.

Resolve

A lone figure slowly made its way through the woods towards the large looming gates of Konoha. Hunched over from weariness, long blond hair hung, obscuring his face from view. The gray cloak that was draped over his shoulders swayed with his steps, only exposing his dirt marked feet and the bottom of his black pants. His tired shuffling kicked up small clouds of dust as he failed to lift his feet completely off the ground. Underneath his cloak he was practically covered with dried blood. Some of it was his. Most of it wasn't. Behind the veil of greasy blond hair the young man grimaced as he remembered the events of yesterday.

He hadn't wanted to kill them. They had never done anything to him that would make him desire such a thing. In fact, he didn't know them at all, and their lack of any symbols on their forehead protectors seemed to preclude any political motivations. That didn't change the fact that he had killed them. He had to.

He hated killing. It always reminded him of the evil that resided deep inside of him. That is what the Kyuubi was after all, evil. Even though the fox had an almost amiable relationship with his host now it didn't change that. Though Naruto hoped that perhaps he was having a positive influence on the mind set of the giant kitsune.

Each step he took closer to his home seemed to raise his spirits another notch. Of course, you wouldn't be able to tell that from his outward appearance. Apparently even the container of a nine-tailed demon fox can feel worn out from time to time. A strong gust of wind kicked a cloud of dust up into his drooping face. His blue eyes shut tight against the irritating grains. He grumbled a silent curse as the wind passed and his eyes were again exposed to the outside world.

"Dammit Jiraiya, be more careful." He said to the large white-haired man that stood smirking before him.

"Hey brat, is that any way to talk to your favorite teacher?"

Now Naruto might not have had much energy left, but he had more than enough to make fun of the legendary perverted toad hermit.

"I wasn't talking to my favorite teacher, I was talking to you Ero-sennin."

The only sign that the older man had heard his student's comment was the slight irritated twitch that developed below his right eye. In a drastic change in attitude he struck a victorious pose, complete with his fingers held in the shape of a "V".

"I've been looking for you a long time my insubordinate little student. I needed to warn you that Akatsuki has apparently threatened a minor ninja village into trying to kill you. It warms my heart to see you return home safely." His tone lowered to a near whisper as he continued. "From now on you need to be extra careful while going out on missions. You're strong but I doubt even you can take on an entire village, no matter how small it may be."

Naruto shook his head in mild disbelief, causing his hair, that was sticking together with filth to sway to and fro. He slowly pulled reached across his body and raised the right sleeve of his cloak, exposing his blood-encrusted arm to view.

"You never did pay much attention to my training. Thanks for the warning, though you're a little late. I met up with them yesterday." His face visibly darkened as he realized the implications of that fight. "I just wish I would have known why they were attacking. Maybe I could have done something. Maybe I wouldn't have had to kill them all."

Jiraiya's eyes opened wide with shock before softening in sympathy for his student. He couldn't even imagine how this made him feel. He knew Naruto hated killing anyone, let alone people who were being forced to fight against their will.

In a fatherly gesture the white-haired man stepped beside the younger blond and wrapped a loving arm around his shoulder. He watched sadly as a silent tear fell from beneath the greasy mop and splashed on the sandy floor.

"Don't worry about it kid. There was nothing you could do. I doubt you would have been able to convince them to leave you alone even if you had known."

Another tear dropped to the ground at Naruto's feet. He quietly whimpered out a protest to the older man's statement.

"But you don't know for sure. They didn't deserve to die. They just wanted to protect their village from those bastards."

It seemed almost as if the horned forehead protector of the toad sennin drooped at the solemn words. He was not about to accept defeat on the matter though. Slowly his eyes slid closed before he spoke.

"You're right. If you had known maybe you could have changed what happened. But you didn't, and there's no way you could have. There's no point in worrying about the past and you can't change what happened. You're just going to have go on and be happy that you're still alive. I know I am."

Naruto just nodded before he shrugged the larger man's arm off from his shoulders, sluggishly making his way towards the village. Noiselessly he raised a hand in silent farewell as he stepped through the gates.

Jiraiya knew his student couldn't see him but he raised his hand to him as well just before he disappeared into the trees.

And so the grave young man walked into the city he grew up in. Wordlessly, thoughtlessly, he began the slow progression towards his meager apartment. The red sun was slowly sinking below the buildings in the distance, but he didn't notice. His deep blue eyes were transfixed on the long shadow he cast on the unpaved streets of Konoha. He was so absorbed in the nebulous shape before him he barely heard the sound of running feet behind him. It wasn't until he felt a pair of lithe arms wrap around his neck and a tiny body press against his back that he lifted his eyes from the ground. He felt silky strands of hair brush against his cheek as the person on his back shifted her face so it was next to his ear.

"I'm so glad you're home." She whispered faintly.

He smiled. That was what he needed to hear.

"I'm glad to be back." He said softly as she dropped from her perch.

She lunged at him in an attempt to close her arms around him once more but he quickly took a step backwards, thwarting her.

Pale lavender eyes looked up at him, puzzled.

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

He didn't want to answer her, but he knew he didn't have a choice. Again he pulled back the sleeve of his cloak, showing her a hint of the bloody aftermath of his fight.

Her gasp of horror struck him to the core. That was why he didn't want to show her. Hinata's maternal instincts quickly went into action as she reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling his arm in for a closer inspection.

"We've got to get you to the hospital."

He slowly shook his head no.

"I'm fine. I just want to go home."

She looked at him incredulously just before her byakugan flashed to life. Carefully she glanced him over, checking him for any signs of injury. Before she could finish, Naruto interrupted.

"Please, I just want to wash this off and go to sleep."

Her nod surprised him. He had expected her to insist he go to the hospital.

"Come on, let's go get you cleaned off." She said firmly in her small voice.

Surprise number two from the dark blue-haired kunoichi.

"We?" He asked, voice shaking.

Her only reply was to take his wrist and start to lead him towards his apartment.

Before long they arrived at his door and without a word Hinata pulled out the key he had had made for her and unlocked it. Smoothly she pushed it open and ushered the exhausted blond inside. As soon as he was inside he shifted his shoulders and allowed his cloak to fall to the floor. He would get it later when he actually cared. Gently the tender kunoichi directed him towards the couch and helped him sit down before going into the bathroom and starting a bath.

The gentle rhythm of the water beating on the porcelain of his tub was hypnotizing, and his eyes slowly began to drift closed. He had barely been asleep a minute when he felt a soft warm hand on his shoulder, shaking him lightly.

"Come on Naruto-kun. The bath is ready."

He grunted in distaste at the idea of moving, but relented as she wrapped her slender arm around his back and slowly helped him off the couch. Each step was a chore as he clumsily plodded towards the bathroom. He nearly fell a couple times, but she always kept him from dropping.

Internally he smiled. He was perfectly capable of walking, but he was enjoying giving his quiet young girlfriend a hard time.

Eventually they arrived in the bathroom and Naruto took a seat on the edge of the tub as Hinata lifted his shirt up over his head. She blushed, and quickly turned around as her dazed blond boyfriend started to unbutton his pants, paying no mind to her presence. The next noise she heard after the gentle rustling of cloth was a splash as Naruto dropped back into the tub, spilling water over the edge and onto the floor. Bubbles rose up around the blonds face as he spoke Hinata's name into the water. She heard him, kind of, and turned around to see what he wanted. The blush that had started to fade came back with a vengeance as she realized she hadn't put any bubbles in the water to cover up his naked form. He didn't seem to notice, and if he did he didn't care. She did care, but she convinced herself that getting the dried blood off of him was more important than her delicate sensibilities at the moment. Finally she decided that she would just avoid looking….. there.

Timidly she knelt behind the weary shinobi and hefted him up so she could reach his shoulders and upper back. She grabbed a washcloth and after working some soap into it she lovingly started to scrub the several days worth of grime from his body. She worked slowly to make sure she didn't miss anything, and to make sure she didn't see more than she should.

Finished with her work she tenderly wrapped her arms around him from behind, pulling him back against her.

"What happened to you out there?"

She felt him stiffen against her as he remembered yesterday's battle. His gentle face contorted into a grimace as he fought with himself over what to tell her. Finally he just settled on telling her the truth.

"Akatsuki threatened a ninja village into attacking me." He began, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "They found me yesterday and tried to kill me. I didn't know what they wanted except that they wanted me dead. I couldn't let them win. I killed them."

Hinata's heart ached as she felt warm tears start to fall on her forearms. A caring hand reached up and began to stroke his damp hair, striving to comfort the tearful young man. No amount of sympathy was going to make him feel better now. He was well aware that it wasn't his fault, and that he had no choice in the matter. She knew how she had to handle this.

"So what are you going to do about it?" She asked quietly.

"I'm going to make Akatsuki pay."

Her heart knew that was how he would answer. It didn't change the fact she hated the idea of him going after that evil organization. Then she made a silent vow to herself. She was not going to let him do it alone. When he went after them she would be right there at his side.

"Yes, we will."

A/N: I love this chapter. I'm not sure why. I just do. Anyways this is normally where I would respond to reviews, but it seems ff net has followed through on the responding is bad thing. From now on I will be responding directly to everyone. It makes me sad though. I liked putting the messages at the bottom.


	66. Absolution

A/N: Well that was a nice little break. Extra long chapter for those of who who waited so patiently. I'm sure you all know about the reviews ruled by now. While I won't be going back and answering old reviews (unless a question is asked in them) I will respond to every review from here on out, no matter how big of a pain it may be with this new method. This of course assumes that you are a member of the site. That's all for now. Enjoy.

Absolution

He wished he could say that it had just been a long day, but the truth of the matter was it was more like a long week. First had come the mission. It was nothing too out of the ordinary for someone of his rank. Anbu were commonly assigned assassination missions. This one had been a bit different though. It is far more difficult to assassinate the head of a ninja clan than a normal person, no matter how small that clan may be. Of course he had succeeded, but it had not been easy. Apparently there had been attempts on the leader's life before, so the guard around him was particularly heavy. Needless to say it didn't matter in the end. Naruto was strong enough to take out that entire village if that is what he had been ordered to do. As it was though, it had been decided that the reason for that villages recent string of heinous crimes against other villages was the leader, so only he needed to be eliminated. The irony was not lost on the blond jinchuuriki.

That mission had taken two full days to completely infiltrate the village and assassinate the head. The strange thing was that the mission probably would have been easier if he had been assigned to kill them all, for while Naruto was no slouch at stealth (a drastic change from his younger days) he was far more proficient at the use of brute force.

He had less trouble escaping the village, as he simply needed to speed out as fast as he could. Those that saw him at all saw only a grayish blur as he sprinted past them.

It wasn't until after mission when everything seemed to go wrong. He was attacked by a huge group of shinobi that he later foiund out constituted a villages' entire fighting force. Unaware of their intentions, except that they wanted him dead, he had fought and killed them all. It didn't seem all that odd to him then. A lot of people and villages had grudges against him. Either because of his role in skirmishes with them, or simply because of the unwilling passenger he carried.

He had briefly considered letting himself die there, but an image from the past quickly banished all such thoughts from his mind. He had promised a beautiful young girl that he would return home to her, and Uzumaki Naruto never breaks a promise.

The trip home had been long and slow. His fatigue from the battle kept him from moving at his normal blinding speed. His slower pace gave him plenty of time to ponder over why he had been attacked, and feel pity for those who had lost their lives. Naruto had grown used to killing over the years, it was part of the job after all, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

It wasn't until he had returned home that he found out the reason for the attempt on his life. It did nothing to ease his troubled mind.

That was when she had found him. The reason he had come back alive had nearly tackled him from behind. In all likelihood if she had been even the slightest bit larger he probably would have fallen flat on his face. Fortunately, the girl he was determined to make his wife was about as small as girls come. As soon as she had noticed the state he was in she had taken him home so she could clean him off, and in general take care of him.

After she had bathed him he had asked her to stay. He was pleasantly surprised at just how little convincing it had taken to get her to agree to his request. He didn't realize that she actually needed no convincing at all, and that it took all of her self-control to keep the eagerness out of her voice as she told him she would stay.

They had promptly started getting ready for bed right after he had gotten dried off. He had gotten her an old tee-shirt of his to sleep in. It was comically large on her, with the bottom of it reaching all the way to her knees. She had missed the soft smile he gave as she had closed her eyes and clutched the collar of the shirt, bringing it up to her nose before inhaling deeply the smell of the battered cotton. She was just too cute for words. As for himself, he had lazily stepped into a pair of black boxers that were his usual sleeping attire. He always claimed that wearing anything else while sleeping was too 'confining'. The girl that everyone thought was innocent was not about to argue with him.

Exhaustion again reared its ugly head as he flopped back on the bed that was much too large for just one person to use. This bed was by far the most expensive thing he had ever bought, and he never regretted it for a second. Anyone that trains and works as hard as Naruto needs a nice place to sleep.

Hinata was far more gentle in her entrance to the bed. The rest of the mattress barely moved as she crawled up and underneath the covers. The cool sheets felt wonderful against her exposed skin even as the thick fluffy comforter fought off the chill night air.

It quickly became clear that even though there was more than enough room for the two of them to sleep, very little of that space would actually be used on this night. The dark-haired girl sighed as she felt a warm arm close around her and pull her in close to the worn-out man beside her. He whispered softly in her ear

"I love you Starshine."

She smiled and tucked her head in close to his chest, listening intently to the soft thrumming of his heart.

"I love you too."

Her words fell on deaf ears, or at least sleeping ones. That was alright. He already knew.

"What are you doing here Dobe?"

Blue eyes snapped open at the words, taking in an area that was not his room. Everything was white. The sky, the horizon, the floor, everything was indistinguishable from everything else. Naruto slowly turned around, searching for the source of the voice that had spoken to him.

"Over here Idiot."

The blond man started and spun around, coming face to face with an old friend, and an old enemy, all wrapped into one. Uchiha Sasuke, traitor of the Leaf, and a man that Naruto had considered to be like a brother. He was still wearing that cocky smirk that was so typical of him. Naruto wasn't sure whether to cry or punch him. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Am I dead?"

Sasuke laughed, a sound that Naruto couldn't remember ever having heard from him, at least not laced with evil.

"I don't think so."

He was about to continue when Naruto interrupted.

"But you're dead!"

Obsidian colored eyes rolled at the statement of the obvious.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me."

"Then how?"

Raven hair swayed as Sasuke shook his head.

"I don't know."

"You're not being very helpful."

A shrug was his only response.

"You seem different to me Naruto."

The mentioned man quirked an eyebrow as he gazed at his former friend quizzically.

"How so?"

Sasuke ran his fingers back through his hair, closing his eyes momentarily before speaking.

"When you asked if you were dead you seemed disappointed, almost scared. I don't think that you would have cared that much about dying when I knew you."

Solemnly, Naruto glanced off to the side. It was the truth, and the truth hurts.

"I guess I just found a reason to stay alive."

Nodding his head sagely, Sasuke thought about what Naruto said.

"It's that girl isn't it?" He thought for a moment, trying to remember her name. "Hinata was it?"

Naruto nodded.

"She means everything to me."

Suddenly, a shadow seemed to pass over the dark haired boy's face. He turned his gaze on the ground and his bangs fell to cover his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

There was a time when Naruto would have wondered what he was talking about. A time when he was too dense to understand much of anything. Time had changed a lot of things. That certainly didn't mean he was about to give a normal response though.

"Geez, the one time you apologize to me and it wasn't even your fault."

Shocked, Sasuke opened his onyx eyes wide, clearly confused by Naruto's response. The blond in question continued before his friend could voice his question.

"I know all about the mental effects of the curse seal. You didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. I mean, sure, I was plenty angry about what you did for a long time, but Hinata forgave you so I had to too."

His pale white face sagged below his raven hair.

"She is far too kind to me."

Naruto saw where this was heading and he wasn't going to let it go there without a fight.

"I think she just took pity on you after how badly I kicked your ass."

And that was all it took. Well, that and the smug smirk that the rambunctious blond was wearing so neatly on his face. Combined, it was more than enough to trigger a feeling within the former Uchiha heir that he hadn't felt in a very long time. A feeling of rivalry. A small smile quirked the left side of his lips as he stared down his old friend.

"That's all in the past now. We both know that I wasn't thinking clearly enough to fight then. You could never beat me as I am now."

Azure eyes seemed to sparkle at the comment.

"Sounds like a challenge to me. Are you looking for another beating Teme?"

His answer came in the form of a swift punch that connected strongly with his forehead. He didn't even flinch. Sasuke quickly jerked his hand back and shook out his sore knuckles.

"Geez Dobe, what the hell is your head made of?"

The mischievous grin that tugged at Naruto's lips was an obvious precursor to the joke that was coming.

"Rocks, same thing it's filled with."

For a moment the Uchiha almost laughed. Only for a moment though. He was not about to be defeated so easily.

"Well then," the blond spoke as he slid into a fighting stance with practiced ease, "Shall we get started?"

A nod. A blur. A flash as fists connected. Movements far to fast for the eye to follow.

Sasuke arced a right hook at Naruto's temple, only to have it meet with the palm of the blond's right hand. He grimaced as he felt his friend's other hand grip his wrist and watched as he twisted his body, sending him over his back and hurtling through the air. With a twist of his body the raven-haired boy landed crouched and facing his friend and opponent.

"Not bad."

If he had paused any longer before continuing Naruto might have actually thought his rival was paying him a sincere compliment. He should have known better.

"But not good enough."

And with a burst of speed he was gone from sight, only reappearing when he stopped, crouched in front of the man who would be Hokage. He proceeded to slam his fist into the blond man's stomach, doubling him over as the air rushed from his lungs.

Of course, if there is anything Naruto is good at it's adapting to the situation. Without even halting his downward motion he bashed his forehead into Sasuke's back, sending him flying between his legs and skidding face down on the ground.

Knowing the inherent dangers that came from facing away from one's opponent Sasuke quickly arrested his slide and rolled to his feet. He was about to renew his attack when he caught sight of the position Naruto was in. His blond hair hung messily as he stared at the onyx-eyed boy from between his widely spread legs, a grin broader than should even have been possible creasing his face. He opened his mouth to speak but his words were quickly halted by the sole of a sandal that was planted on his backside, causing him to unceremoniously tumble along the pure white ground.

Even with his roll stopped Naruto continued to lay on the ground, his head tilted in such a way that he was looking back at his friend upside down.

"That was a cheap shot."

A smirk.

"It's not my fault if you don't take it seriously."

Naruto just shrugged, sliding his shoulders along the ground as he did so. Then, with a swift kick of his legs he regained his feet and suddenly disappeared. The next thing Sasuke knew he felt the cloth on the back of his shirt being gripped and he was being hoisted off the ground. With a twist of his body Naruto tossed the raven-haired man over his hip and slammed him chest first on the ground. At least that's how it seemed. The kyuubi-container blanched as what he had thought was Sasuke disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only his ebony-hued shirt in his hands. Naruto chuckled.

"Interesting thing to use for a kawarimi."

A silky monotone spoke behind him.

"Not like I had much choice in this place."

Cerulean eyes glanced around the area they were in, taking in the vast white emptiness that surrounded them.

"Good point."

Without even turning around Naruto could feel the fist that was aimed at the back of his head, and with one smooth movement he bent forward and kicked his right leg out behind him, hitting Sasuke squarely in his now bare stomach. Much to Naruto's surprise, the air that was forced from his dark-haired friend's lungs came out as a blast of blazing hot fire that singed a series of holes in his pants.

"Ow, that hurt Teme."

And Sasuke laughed, causing a series of small smoke clouds to puff out of his mouth.

That was more than enough to leave Naruto standing there, mouth wide open in amazement.

"You just laughed!" he pointed out loudly.

The smile that had just been on Sasuke's face vanished as quickly as it had come, restoring his countenance to its usual absence of emotion. He knew how much of a pain it would be if he let Naruto continue on this train of thought. He decided to change the subject.

"I think we should finish this don't you?"

The blond grinned playfully.

"I'm ready when you are."

Sasuke's eyes whirled into the deep crimson of the sharingan as Naruto crouched into a fighting stance. He stood, one hand held open in front of him, the other at his side in a loose fist. The stance was just a formality though. They both vanished from sight, followed immediately by a flash of intense light.

Their fists met again and again, sending out shockwaves of power and noise. If they had been in any normal location the ground would have shattered beneath them, but somehow this strange ivory surface held firm against their onslaught.

Punches and kicks were thrown. None were landed. Naruto had a clear edge in speed, but the sharingan easily compensated for that.

It was impossible to tell when it had happened, but both fighters were smiling even as their frustration at being unable to land a blow continued to grow. That was when it happened. Sasuke jumped backwards out of nowhere and began to rapidly flicker through a set of seals. He clutched his left wrist with his right hand.

"Chidori!" he mumbled almost to himself.

Naruto's smile just grew wider.

"So you want to do that again eh? Alright, I'm game."

A blue orb spun to life in his palm.

With remarkable speed the pair ran at each other, each determined to be the victor. Moments before the two attacks would connect Sasuke felt something behind him, but it was too late. A flying kick to the back of the head sent him stumbling forward into….. Naruto's empty hand?

"I win again." The blond said lightheartedly.

The Uchiha scowled as he stood himself up straight.

"When did you make a kage bunshin?"

"Just now." He stated proudly.

Confusion took hold of sharingan-tinted eyes. An eyebrow raised in question.

"How? I didn't see you make any seals."

Naruto shrugged once more.

"It turns out that after you've performed a technique a few thousand times you kind of lose the need to do seals for it. Comes in handy sometimes."

"I see." He spoke quietly before something almost like regret spread across his pale features. "I think it's about time for you to go."

The ever-present smile faded. He nodded.

"It was nice seeing you again Sasuke."

"Hnn"

"It would be fun to do it again sometime." Naruto uttered cheerfully.

Sasuke nodded.

"But we aren't going to be able to are we?" He continued, in a saddened tone.

"I don't think so."

Both men's eyes fell to the ground. Neither really wanted to part company again. Finally, after what had to have been at least five minutes, Sasuke spoke.

"Do you think you could do me a favor when you get back?"

Naruto raised his eyes in question.

"I need you to apologize to everyone for me. They probably all know about the cursed seal by now, but I don't want to use that as an excuse. I just want them to know I'm sorry."

"Alright."

"And tell Sakura….. that I never meant to hurt her."

Blue eyes slowly closed and reopened. Naruto nodded.

"Ok."

For a moment Sasuke almost smiled for real, something that wasn't tinged with adrenaline or arrogance. It did not go unnoticed, but the blond man let it go. Now was not the time for joking. Besides, he couldn't think of anything to say for once.

Once again Sasuke was the first to speak up.

"You had better get going."

"Yeah."

Naruto extended his hand to his old friend. The ebony-haired man was quick to accept, which is when the unthinkable happened. He smiled. It was a good thing they weren't on Earth or the world would certainly have been destroyed in a cataclysmic explosion.

"Take care of yourself Dobe."

Naruto shook his head in mild disbelief, chuckling softly.

"You too Teme."

As he spoke the world started to fade around him. Where Sasuke was standing was gradually turning white. Naruto's vision was filled completely with the snowy blankness when a voice rang out from the nothing.

"Thank you."

And then it was black.

In the darkness Naruto felt his body being filled with warmth. A weight pressed lightly on his chest. Something soft and fine tickled at his face. Something soft was in his hand…..

His eyes shot open and instantly his vision was filled with the Indigo hair of the girl lying on his chest. He thought for a moment about how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her. Then he realized what exactly his hand was on. With a quick jerk as if he was pulling away from something hot he moved his hand to her lower back.

Daintily, she shifted her weight against him just before her warm ivory eyes fluttered open. He smiled sweetly down at her.

"Morning Beautiful."

A/N: And there you have it. The Uchiha himself back for a brief return. Hope you liked it. Much love all. Ja ne.


	67. Growth

Growth

A cloud of dust obscured the figure from view as it slid across the ground, eventually coming to a halt as it slammed into a tree. Gently the riled earth fell back to the ground, revealing the form of Uzumaki Kanai laying on his back with his legs propped up on the bark of the massive old oak he had just hit. His sister Natsuki, also known as the reason he had hit the tree, was across the yard with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot as she chuckled lightly.

"Cmon Kanai!" She taunted. "Is that the best you've got?"

Gingerly the youngest Uzumaki shifted his legs off of the tree and raised himself to his feet, trying to look as hurt as possible. In general this is a wise tactic with the possibility of lulling your opponent into a false sense of security. If they believe you to be injured they might make a mistake that you can take advantage of. Unfortunately for him the girl with azure hair was not about to be fooled by such a simple bluff. Besides, she knew full well that nothing short of a boulder falling on his head was going to hurt her little brother.

"Don't be such a wuss, you're fine."

A sigh slipped between Kanai's lips. Fighting his sister was the ultimate in frustration for him. There was no doubt that he was strong. At ten he was by far the strongest of the genins in the village, stronger even than a large number of the chuunins, and he was capable of giving some jounins a run for their money. Be that as it may he couldn't even land more than a glancing blow on his sister. It didn't matter in the slightest to him that she just happened to be probably the second strongest ninja in the village behind only his father.

Without so much as another sound he dashed at her again for what seemed like the thousandth attempt of the day. Of course he wasn't trying the same thing each time. No way was he going to succeed if he was predictable. This time, as he ran he held his hands behind his back, out of sight of his sister's inactive byakugan. Just before he reached her he stopped and breathed in deeply. Exhale.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"

A massive fireball instantly spurt forth from his mouth. At this range just about anyone would have been severely burned. Natsuki was not one of these people and Kanai knew that. The moment she had seen him start to inhale she was already getting ready to leap high into the air, just like he knew she would. His activated byakugan saw her twist in the air above the inferno and he crouched down low to ready his own jump. With one smooth motion he hurtled skyward, his hands glowing in anticipation of delivering jyuken style hits to the twirling girl. He thrust upward with first his right hand and then his left. She matched his movements downwards and planted both of her palms against his, vaulting herself up and away from the onslaught. With a gentle tap and a smirk she landed back on the ground, no worse for wear.

"That was better, if it wasn't me you were fighting the person would most likely be really hurting right now. Nice trick with the behind the back seals by the way. Very creative."

Kanai was fuming. Not only had his attack, that he had been so sure would work, failed, but now she was complimenting him. Did she think he didn't see through that? Did she really think he didn't know she was laughing at him in her head?

Needless to say, she wasn't thinking any of those things. For once she had paid him a genuine compliment because she really felt that it would be good for him to hear that he was getting better. Not all good deeds are appreciated though.

Fueled by unwarranted anger, the young blond boy tensed in preparation to attack. With a flourish he raised his arm up high before slamming his into the ground, sending out a large cloud of debris that hid him from sight. Moments later there was a shout from inside the cloud.

"Katon: Karyuu endan no jutsu!"

A dragon made of fire burst out of the cloud, roaring loudly as it raced at the elder Uzumaki child. Four seals. Dog. Monkey. Bird. Tiger.

"Suiton: Suijenheki!"

A wall of water poured forth from the young Jounin's mouth, forming a turbulent wall between her and the fiery serpent. With an angry hiss the dragon slammed into the turbulent barrier, fizzling in a blast of steam.

A faint rumbling tipped her off to something going on beneath her feet, and jumped just in time to avoid the hand that came from underground grabbing at her ankle. The hand was quickly followed by a very perturbed looking Uzumaki Kanai. His lips were set in a grim line as he watched his sister land softly back on the ground beside a line of trees. Then he smirked. A form came into view just behind Natsuki. A form that looked an awful lot like Kanai. Moving silently, it struck, throwing a hard overhand punch at the young girl's back. She felt it coming just in time, and with grace that came naturally to her as the daughter of a Hyuuga she bent forward and kicked back. The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke around her outstretched leg. Smoothly, she pushed off the ground with her other leg and continued her arching flip. She smiled broadly.

"Whew, you almost had me there."

Her words of encouragement fell on deaf ears as Kanai felt his anger overwhelming him. Red chakra wrapped around his hands and feet as he tapped into the unlimited well of energy that was a trademark of the Uzumaki.

Natsuki could clearly see what was happening and shook her head in disappointment. It seemed like today's exercise was over.

Red eyes stared intently at the girl across the field. They blinked and she was gone. They blinked again and she was right in front of him. With a strike so quick he had no time to react she poked a spot on his neck and he fell into unconsciousness in her waiting arms. Effortlessly, she hoisted him up and carried him back towards the house where her father was waiting. The head of the family took him from her at the door.

"It seems we're going to need to work on his temper some." He remarked solemnly.

Natsuki nodded her assent.

"I think it would be best if your mother or I trained him for a while. He gets too worked up when fights you."

Again she nodded, but followed it with some words of her own.

"I don't know why though. He's progressing really quickly. He should be proud of himself. I mean I'm six years older than him. He really can't expect to beat me at his age."

Naruto allowed an almost sage like look to cross his face.

"He does know that, but that doesn't make it any easier. His mind is at war with itself because he wants to beat you so badly, but at the same time he knows he cant."

A shrug.

"I guess."

Gently, Naruto laid Kanai down on the couch to allow him to recover.

"He should be up in a couple of minutes."

He took a moment to observe his daughter's face as it twisted in mild puzzlement. She spoke.

"I can't figure out when he made that Kage Bunshin though. I don't know when he had the opportunity to do it."

Naruto laughed.

"Oh that? He made that before you guys even started sparring. It had just been in the trees the whole time waiting for you to get close enough to attack."

"Clever." She said with a smirk.

"He almost got you with that one."

That was the end of that conversation. Natsuki hmphed as she turned her head to walk away, striving to ignore what the close call had done to her pride.

"He wasn't that close."

A smile. A sight so often seen on the blond Hokage's face.

"Just you wait, next time you fight you aren't going to be able to do it without those eyes your mother gave you unless you want to take some hard shots.

The challenge had been put forth, and that was something no Uzumaki could ignore. She smirked.

"We'll see about that."

A/N: Um, yeah 4 months between updates is pretty pathetic by my standards. I'm really very sorry. Thanks to those of you who have stuck by me and even questioned my whereabouts. I've said it before and I'll say it again. This story will not die before I hit 100 chapters unless I myself die. The next chapter is already in the works. Review and it will come out faster I swear.


	68. Training

A/N: Well, this was started some 9-10 months ago for a fic-swapping thing started by raging hobo…and I'm only the second one to finish. From now on, we're telling RH to keep his wonderful ideas inside his not-so-stable mind. This fic takes place earlier than the latest chapters of Windows of the Soul, with Natsuki maybe 10-12 years old. Enjoy the chapter, though I will warn that it's not that long, considering the time it took me.

Disclaimer: I only own raging hobo because of a particularly good streak of poker luck. Children, never wager more than you can afford to lose, or else you may end up as a slave to someone you've never met. Gambling is bad…also, I don't own Naruto, or even this fic.

Hobo notes: Ignore RL. He only thinks he owns me. Amazing what a little mind control and a 7 inch height advantage can do for you no? It's good to be tall. Back the point. If you like this chapter be sure to go check out RLnaruhina 's other stories. He deserves whatever love you can give him. All reviews will be relayed to him through your wonderful host. Me. Enjoy! Oh, and I hope to have a chapter of mine out soon. Sorry about all of this. I suck at life.

Chapter 68: Training

Hinata was used to Naruto's…eccentricities. But it wasn't often that she walked into the kitchen to see her kids staring at him from the edge of the room as he howled in laughter.

"What's going on?" Hinata whispered to Natsuki.

"I don't know," Natsuki whispered in reply, "and I'm not sure I want to."

"He's been like that since we came in here." Kanai whispered into her ear.

"Honey?" Hinata started tentatively.

Naruto made no signal that he had heard his wife.

Hinata walked over to where her husband was disturbing the peace and gently tapped his shoulder, "Naruto-kun, you're scaring the children."

Hinata's touch and statement were enough to shake the hokage from his state.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that." The blonde apologized to his still confused family. "I remembered something from my younger days."

"What? Tell us!" The children chimed in unison.

"Well…" Naruto trailed off.

"Please!" The kids begged.

"Argh…can't…resist…cuteness." Naruto collapsed on the floor in mock agony.

"Yay!" The kids celebrated.

"And you two kids were quite persuasive as well." Naruto said, hopping up to give Hinata a quick kiss, earning a slight blush with his efforts.

"Well," Naruto began, "A loooooong time ago, before either of you had even been thought of, except possibly in some of your mother's dreams," Hinata's blush deepened, "one of my closest friends ran off to serve an eeeeevil master in the pursuit of power."

"Boo!" Natsuki and Kanai jeered.

"Oh, don't be too hard on him. His mind had been twisted by the effects of one of the evil man's jutsus. But before he ran off, he knocked me out in a duel outside of Konoha."

The kids gasped, "He defeated you? But you're the best in the world!"

"That may be true, but the same jutsu that twisted his mind also gave him unimaginable power, enough to compensate for the advantage the Kyuubi gave me at the time. Also, I wasn't trying to kill him, while he was doing his best to finish me off. Though," Naruto held up a hand, "he did pass up his chance and walked off after he knocked me unconscious" Naruto informed his children. "Anyway," Naruto continued with a wave of his hand, "for three years afterwards, I trained constantly, except for frequent ramen breaks and less frequent breaks for sleep and calls of nature."

"I don't see anything funny yet." Kanai commented, yawning.

"I'm getting to that; just be patient." Naruto admonished the young boy.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day those words would come out of your mouth." Hinata said softly.

Naruto looked at his wife, feigning offense, "You're lucky I love you."

Hinata looked down in embarrassment, "Get on with the story already." She said, trying to hide her blush.

"Well, during those three years, I trained with many different people and styles, to make sure I would be prepared for whatever Sasuke brought back from his years with the Sound. And, as one might expect, I lived up to my reputation as the number one unpredictable ninja with each of my trainers. When you guys came in, I was thinking about my training with Neji and your grandpa, but that comes a little later in the tale. First, you have to suffer through hearing about my other training sessions."

"OOOOOH! SO YOU HAVE FINALLY COME TO REALIZE THE POWER OF YOUTH! NARUTO-SAN, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR DECISION TO TRAIN WITH US, GAI-SENSEI AND I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE THIS SESSION EXTRA YOUTHFUL!" Apparently, Lee was excited to have another training partner.

"MY EVER-SO-YOUTHFUL STUDENT IS RIGHT! BUT FIRST, YOU MUST DON THE UNIFORM OF YOUTH!" Gai exclaimed proudly, bringing out the jumpsuit he had given Naruto.

"I could have sworn I tossed that." Naruto muttered, staring at the fashion disgrace(s) in front of him.

"FOR SOME REASON, I FOUND THIS IN OUR YOUTHFUL SEARCH OF YOUR TRASH ONE DAY!" Gai continued.

"What the hell! What are you guys doing going through my trash?" Naruto exclaimed, glaring at the thick-browed duo. Gai and Lee only shrugged in response.

"We must get to training; come Lee, let us lead our new training partner on a one thousand lap warm-up run!

"This is going to be a looong week…"

"So…" Natsuki started, a conniving grin on her face, "Did you wear the suit?"

Naruto glared at the young girl, "I plead the fifth. Besides, there are more training sessions I still need to tell you about."

"Kakashi?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Yo." Kakahi responded, looking at Naruto over the top of his newest book.

"You're my next teacher?" Naruto asked, a tad confused.

"Yea, apparently Tsunade thinks I might be able to help you prepare for Sasuke, since I was the last person in Konoha to train him." Kakashi shrugged.

"I guess that makes sense." Naruto agreed, "So, what are we gonna do?"

"Beats me." Kakashi shrugged, never looking away from his book. "I suppose we should prepare you for facing the Chidori again, since I did teach it to him…"

"ARE YOU FINALLY GONNA TEACH ME IT?" Naruto asked, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Nope." Kakashi replied simply, instantly crushing Naruto's spirit.

"WHY NOT?" Naruto whined.

"Seems like a waste of time, considering you already have the Rasengan and whatnot. No, what I am here for is to prepare you for facing the sharingan."

"Okay," Naruto let out a deflated sigh, he had really hoped he would be learning the Chidori; there weren't many jutsus louder than he was…

"So, where should we start?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto sweat-dropped, "_You're_ supposed to tell _me _that; you're the teacher here."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, "So I am…ok, I guess we'll just have a practice fight."

"Did you beat him?" Kanai interrupted.

"Err, let's not go into the details, I've still got a few more training stories to get through before I go." Naruto answered.

"Ha! He put you through one thousand years of pain, didn't he?" Kanai proclaimed. Catching the look on his father's face, the young boy crowed, "He did! Haha, you got beaten by Kakashi!"

"If you don't want to go through 1000 years of pain, you should be quiet and let me tell the story without interrupting." Naruto glared at the young boy.

"Yes sir." Kanai said meekly.

"Okay, the moment you've all been waiting for…" Naruto announced dramatically, "My training session with Neji and Hiashi!"

"Okay, Naruto, Tsunade has requested that we help you with your chakra control in terms of battle. Now, though you are unable to see the tenketsu points, Neji and I have decided that the gentle fist style may yet be helpful to you. You see, once you are able to expel chakra through your hands and fingers with decent control, you would just have to attack the enemy in as many different spots as possible. With 361 different possible targets, you should be able to fare reasonably well, even if you are firing blind, so to speak." Hiashi, as usual, was all business.

"Focus on firing a small burst of chakra out of your tenketsu points on your hand at this target. If you hit with reasonable accuracy and force, the affected tenketsu points will light up." Hiashi instructed before walking off to do whatever a clan leader did in the afternoon (aka: naptime).

(_3 hours later)_

"How are you progressing?" Neji asked, checking in on Naruto.

"I don't get this!" Naruto fumed, "What's the point of forcing chakra out of your body in such small amounts?"

"The gentle fist style allows for the user to fight at a high level of ability for an extremely long time." Neji explained.

"I don't want to fight for a long time; I want to end the fight as quickly as possible!" Naruto replied, "I mean, couldn't I just do this?" He asked, charging his fist up with chakra and slamming it into the training dummy's head.

Neji was about to reproach the boy for his rash behavior when he noticed the target. All of its tenketsu points were highlighted. "Though that is a rather…crude way of fighting, it may fit your abilities quite well." Neji commented.

"Eh? Whatever you just said, it was a good thing, right?" Naruto asked, confused.

Neji sighed, "Yea, that works."

Naruto looked at his kids expectantly.

They looked back at him.

"You don't find that hilarious?" Naruto asked, stating the obvious.

"Um, no?" The pair replied.

"Hmm, I guess you had to be there. The look on his face…" Naruto realized that his kids were staring at him with the look they normally reserved for Gai and Lee. "Anyway, I'm off to work; be good!" Naruto said abruptly, giving Hinata a quick kiss before leaping out the kitchen window and over the rooftops to the hokage tower.

Hinata sighed; she loved the man, but he really needed to remember to clear his spot at the table before he left…

A/N: Remember, this chapter was written by RLnaruhina, and not raging hobo, so please note such information on your respective reviews, death threats, and letter bombs. We wouldn't want to go blowing up a respectable :cough: author such as raging hobo because of my chapter. Nope, I'm sure he's done things much more deserving of a fiery tomb than randomly assign me to his fic.


	69. Mu

A/N: And finally an actual chapter from me. Much thanks to RLnaruhina for filling in (kinda). Don't forget to review. I need a fix.

Mu (nothing)

Thick crimson liquid stained the ground around a small female's pale form, dying her hair an unsightly reddish brown. Gaara stared at the scene in front of him for what seemed like an eternity but couldn't have been more than a second. A single terrifying question kept running through his mind.

'How can there be so much blood?'

He shook his head violently to clear it of the growing horror that was tearing at his consciousness. With movements to quick to be seen he rushed to the side of his rapidly dying bride. Her violet eyes looked up at him softly, almost serenely, but with a deep sadness lurking behind them. A small smile creased her lips and she spoke.

"Take care of yourself Gaara-kun."

Gaara simply closed his eyes before shaking his head. When his eyes opened again the fear that had been there was replaced by determination.

"I will take care of both of us."

Gently, so as not to cause her any further harm, the sand beneath Moeko came together and lifted her off the ground. As she slowly lifted into the air Gaara brushed a stray hair out of her face. He lightly kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear.

"Be safe."

And with a thought the sand stretcher was racing towards the hospital where a certain pink-haired medic nin was to help train their doctors. Eyes of cool jade watched her disappear around a corner before they turned at those responsible for all of this. Where there was one compassion there was now fury, where there was love, hate. The two men who had attracted his gaze shuddered uncontrollably as it felt like a wave of ice passed over them. They turned to run, knowing better than to think they would stand even the slightest chance of beating the man who had earned the title of the Godaime Kazekage. Of course, they should have known better than to think they could run either. Before they could even take a step tendrils of sand wrapped around their ankles, holding them securely to the ground. The sand swiftly spiraled up their bodies until only their faces were left exposed. Gaara took a single solemn step forward before raising his hand towards the ensnared men.

"You should not have come here."

With a clenching of his fist the pair that had dared to harm his wife vanished from this world. And with the ending of their lives Gaara's anger faded to nothing, pushed aside by a renewed concern for the safety of his young wife. He didn't even spare another glance to where the two men had died before swiftly turning and dashing off towards the hospital.

It was only about a mile to Suna's hospital and with speed fueled by worry Gaara reached it in under a minute. His sand moved ahead of him and violently through open the doors so he could pass through unimpeded. No one dared to stand in his way to ask his reason for being there, they already knew anyways. Within moments he reached the emergency care area of the hospital. Jade eyes flashed to where he saw a number of hospital personnel rushing in and out of a room and he promptly ran towards that door. He roughly threw open the door and immediately caught the gaze of the equally green-eyed medic-nin from Konoha.

"Gaara, get out of here!" She shouted at him harshly, leaving no room for argument.

He stood there for a moment, not wanting to leave his wife when she was in need.

"Go!" She yelled again.

A light touch on his arm alerted him to the presence of someone beside him. He turned his eyes on the young nurse beside him and she gently nudged him out the door.

"Come on. We'll do everything we can for her Kazekage-sama. If you're in there it will just make everything more difficult."

He nodded numbly and slowly stepped off to the side before leaning against the wall and sliding down to rest on the floor. His elbows rested on his knees as he cradled his face in his hands.

By then the nurse had already walked away, leaving to assist in his wife's care. It was probably not a good idea to leave him alone. With no one to distract him his thoughts quickly turned dark. It was his fault that Moeko had gotten hurt. He should have been there with her. She was in danger because of him, because of who he is.

Without even noticing one of his hands had clenched into a fist and angrily slammed it into the floor, shattering the tiles he struck. He stared down at his hand, embedded as it was in the flooring.

"I doubt the floor did anything to deserve that." A familiar voice said in jest but without the usual lightness that should accompany a joke.

Gaara raised his eyes to meet the voices' owner. An man of average height with a series of purple markings on his face and a belt covered in scrolls around his waist.

"Kankuro." He eked out, just above a whisper.

The man spoken to smiled lightly as he settled himself on the floor next to his brother.

"She'll be fine. Sakura is in there with her and I don't think there's anything that girl can't do. I've heard she hasn't lost a patient since she became a jounin."

Gaara just nodded. He knew all of this already. In fact, he had been chanting those very things in his head since he got here. Somehow though, hearing someone else say it seemed to ease his worry, if only a little.

Silence reigned as the two men sat side by side against the wall. The only noises came from behind a pair of swinging doors that led to the operating room Moeko was being treated in. Occasionally someone would enter or leave the room and the moment the doors were open all sorts of commotion could be heard. Every now and then they could hear Sakura bark out an order to one of the other doctors.

Finally, what little noise they were able to hear from the room stopped, startling the two men with its' suddenness. A moment later a woman with long pink hair pulled back in a low ponytail pushed her way through the swinging doors, her head bowed slightly with exhaustion. Slowly she turned to Gaara and met his eyes with hers. A small smile spread across her lips.

No words were needed to tell him that his wife was going to be fine. An instant later he was on his feet and dashing for the door. He burst through and saw her laying there unconscious, quickly bringing him to a halt. He was not about to wake her, not now. A warm hand clasped down on his shoulder.

"She's going to be just fine. She just needs to rest for a while." He heard Sakura say softly.

And slowly he smiled, sighing with barely repressed relief. Everything was going to be all right. Carefully, quietly he walked over to where she lay, a silent tear strolling down his face as he looked down at her. A stray clump of white pure white hair was surreptitiously wiped away from her face.

He sat down beside her in a chair made of sand and gently took her hand in his. For a moment he thought he saw the ghost of a smile on her lips, but it passed before he could check. Time slowly passed as he sat, watching her face and lovingly stroking her hand. He knew he was taking more comfort from the contact than she was, but he needed to feel her to be sure she was ok. Again he watched as a small smile spread across her face, but this time it didn't fade away. Yes, everything was going to be all right.

A/N: Well that's it. I hope you liked it (I don't really.) Thanks for reading! I would also like it if you could check out my other story called "A Solitary Summer Night" (chapter 2 currently in the works). Thanks again.


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